The Rosenwald Family The Third
by Chickie.Babe1
Summary: Skylar Rosenwald's third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a mess before she even sets foot back in the castle. Sirius Black escapes and her family is thrown into a state of panic and guilt. Skylar spends her third year with secrets and lies as the mad murder is thought to be after her good friend Harry Potter, and she can't say a word.
1. Chapter 1

**I know, It's been a long time. I finished this ages ago, but could not be bothered proof reading it while it was so fresh in my head. I have now done so (maybe not perfectly) and so here is Rosenwald the Third. **

**I am currently up to Boxing Day with Book Four. However, this will not be up or completed until at least June, as I have a lot of work to do between now and then. And thats at the earliest.**

**Thank you all for waiting and I hope you enjoy the third instalment.**

* * *

Chapter 1:

The dark-brown bricked house sat amongst the grove of trees, a curved paved driveway before it, heading towards the iron gates, flanked by the large brick wall of a fence, covered on one side by hedges. The black tiled roof shone in the streaming sunlight, lighting up the gardens that surrounded the driveway and hugged the walls of the house.

The house was silent, but it was not empty.

"Why do they insist on giving us homework?! We're on vacation!"

Two children were sitting in one of the many studies, opposite one another, a pile of books to one side and two open in front of them, with rolls of parchment, ink pots and quills in hand.

The boy with red-hair was leaning back on his chair, his head lolling over the back as he complained. The girl rose an eyebrow at him before she brushed the feather of the quill under her chin in thought.

"Suppose they don't want us forgetting everything."

She had auburn-hair, which hung in curls to her ribcage. Her eyes were blue like sapphires, a few shades darker than her friend's, who was tall, lanky and with a long nose.

"I thought that's what the holidays were for." Ron Weasley grumbled as he looked back at the book he had before him. It was _A_ _History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot, a large, leather bound book.

"It's not really hard though, 'Witch Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless — discuss.' Bathilda already has the answer, 'The witch or wizard would perform a basic Flame Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation'." Skylar Rosenwald read from her own copy of _A History of Magic_. "Not to mention that muggles didn't know magic if it hit them in the face."

"Doesn't mean I want to sit here writing it." Ron grumbled. He looked out the window behind Skylar at the gorgeous sunny day. The two had tried to do their homework outside, but the wind had been a little too harsh on their books and parchments that they'd had to move inside.

Another reason though was that Leon was outside riding around on Nick's broomstick. Leon Rosenwald was Skylar's younger brother. Twelve years old with brown hair and hazel eyes. Skylar was thirteen, turning fourteen in a few months. Nicholas was the oldest Rosenwald child out of the three, fourteen years old and with brown hair and brown-hazel eyes similar to his brother's. He was currently with Ron's older twin brothers of the same age, Fred and George Weasley, at the Weasleys residence of The Burrow.

"Have you heard from Harry?" Ron wondered.

"I've sent him a few letters in the dead of night with Rey." Skylar said. "Leon's quite happy to let me borrow his owl, I think he enjoys me asking him for something."

Harry Potter was one of Skylar and Ron's best friends. He lived in Surrey with his Uncle and Aunt, who were muggles, after his parents had been killed by the most feared wizard of the last Century, Lord Voldemort. Harry had escaped from the same attack with nothing more than a scar on his forehead, where Voldemort's curse, instead of killing him, had rebounded upon its originator. Barely alive, Voldemort had fled… Why You-Know-Who had been there to kill Harry in the first place, no one was sure about.

"Why in the dead of night?" Ron questioned.

"Well, for one, last year Hedwig was locked up so that he couldn't send us any letters. And two, you likely got him in trouble."

"Weird contraptions." Ron mumbled.

"You really shouldn't have shouted." Skylar muttered.

_Ron and Skylar were sitting at the kitchen table at the Weasley's house, Mr. Weasley beside them looking expectant. Ron had a weird contraption before him that was apparently called a telephone. It was a box, with numbers on one side and a slightly curved rectangle with holes in it on the other. Apparently this bit was the phone that muggles spoke through. _

_Ron had the phone in his hand and there was a piece of parchment on the table beside him, a list of numbers written on it. Harry had given Skylar, Ron and Hermione the phone number for his aunt and uncle's house. Skylar wasn't brave enough to venture the strange contraption but Ron, with the guidance of Mr. Weasley, who loved anything to do with muggles, decided to give it a try._

_He input the numbers on the parchment and his father told him to put it by his ear, which he did. _

"_It's making a funny noise." Ron admitted._

"_It's ringing." Mr. Weasley beamed. _

_And then it stopped and Mr. Weasley and Skylar briefly heard a noise coming from the thing in Ron's hand. _

"_Vernon Dursley speaking." _

"_HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I — WANT — __TO __— TALK — __TO __— __HARRY __— __POTTER!__"_

_Ron suddenly bellowed into the piece so loudly that Skylar jumped, put her hands over her ears and looked at him in shock. Mr. Weasley had also put his hands over his ears and was looking very unsurely at his son. _

_The voice that responded was now loud as well… Skylar wasn't sure if that was what was supposed to happen. _

"_WHO IS THIS?__" roared Vernon Dursley on the other end. "WHO ARE YOU?" _

"_RON __— __WEASLEY!__" Ron bellowed back, as though he and Uncle Vernon were speaking from opposite ends of a quidditch pitch. "I'M — __A __— __FRIEND __— OF — __HARRY__'S — FROM — __SCHOOL __—"_

_There was silence for a moment and Ron looked at the thing unsurely. Was the thing dead? Had it stopped working?_

_And then there was another bellowing response. _

"_THERE IS NO HARRY POTTER HERE!__" he roared. "I DON'__T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOU__'RE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!"_

_And then there was a beeping noise. _

_The three of them looked at the machine. _

"_Um…" Skylar said, "Well he sounded angry…"_

"_I don't think you needed to shout Ron." Mr. Weasley admitted as he took the phone from Ron and out it back down again with the buttons. _

"_He sounded really angry at the end there." Skylar admitted. _

"_Do you think we got the wrong number?" Ron thought, peering at the paper. _

"_No, 'Dursley' is definitely the last name of Harry's family." Skylar assured him. "We did think they'd be unhappy with us calling them…" she looked slightly worried. _

"_Think Harry's in trouble?" Ron wondered._

"_Sounds like a given…" she mumbled. Ron frowned looking guilty. "I'm just glad you're the one who tried it and not me. But why were you shouting so loud?" She questioned. _

"_So he could hear me." Ron responded. _

"_What you think Muggles shout down those things?" She wondered curiously. _

"_I don't know, but I don't know how they can hear down these box things in the first place." Ron admitted. _

It had been a funny ordeal to laugh about afterwards though. She just hoped Harry hadn't been punished too badly.

"Harry said his uncle had blown his top, that you didn't need to shout, and that you probably shouldn't have mentioned Hogwarts." Skylar admitted as she continued to write her essay while Ron looked around the study.

"How else were they supposed to know who I was?" He asked.

"You have to remember that Harry's family isn't normal." Skylar mumbled.

"I told Hermione about it, warned her not to call." Ron confessed.

"You know Hermione's muggle-born right? She'd actually know how to use the… what ever it was." Skylar reminded him.

"Telephone." Ron said.

"I'm surprised you remember that." Skylar mumbled.

Hermione Granger was the two's other good friend. She was muggle-born, bushy haired with rather big front teeth and the brightest student out of their entire year. She was capable of remembering their entire textbooks off by heart and always had information coming out of her ears.

"By the way did you hear that Hermione's going to France?" Skylar remembered.

"No?" Ron confessed.

"Yeah her parents have decided to take her to France for the last stretch of the holidays. She said she'll be back in time for the train obviously."

"Lucky. I can't remember when I last went away." Ron said.

"Well, you did miss going to see Charlie two Christmas' ago… and you chose not to see Bill last Christmas." Skylar reminded him, "So really it's your own fault."

"Not seeing Charlie wasn't my choice. And we had polyjuice potion to take last Christmas." Ron defended.

"You didn't _have_ to take the potion."

"And miss out on getting a confession out of Malfoy?"

"But we didn't get a confession." Skylar smirked.

Ron and Skylar, along with Harry and Hermione, were both enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, all four going into their third year. The year before, the school had been plagued with attacks on Muggle-borns, petrifying them so they were basically statues. It had turned out a giant snake called a basilisk had been the culprit while a ghost like version of You-Know-Who had been behind it all. Harry had defeated both the memory and the basilisk in order to save Ron's younger sister Ginny Weasley.

There had been a point where the four were suspicious of Draco Malfoy, Harry's sworn enemy, being the culprit, and so they had devised a plan to get a confession. Hermione had decided they could take a potion that turned them into other people, Slytherins being the obvious choice, so that they could get a confession from Malfoy without him knowing it was them. They'd done it over Christmas, the four of them staying at the school for the holidays and so Ron had missed a visit to Egypt.

As it had turned out, Ginny had been the one opening the chamber and attacking the Muggle-borns. She was being possessed and controlled by You-Know-Who through a diary he had put his memories into. A diary in which Ginny wrote and confided in for the year.

"Well, it seemed very likely that it was him at the time."

"Probably why we were so wrong." Skylar said. "If you're trying to kill people, the last thing you want is everyone suspecting you."

Ron rested his arms on the desk and leant his chin on his arms in his boredom.

"Are you even going to try and finish this essay?" Skylar sighed.

Ron just looked at her.

"You're going to have to do it regardless of whether it's today or tomorrow." She said.

He still just looked at her.

"What difference does that make?" She questioned. "And just because I can hear what you're thinking doesn't mean you shouldn't make the effort to actually talk to me." She grumbled.

The Rosenwald family was a pureblooded family, like the Weasleys, only with a special gift to the name. All those with Rosenwald blood were capable of legilimency, the skill to interpret people's thoughts. Muggles called it mind reading, but a legilimens was capable of reading, manipulating and controlling another's mind. Skylar was the most gifted of the three Rosenwald children at this gift, while Nick was rather skilled in its opposite, Occlumency, the ability to keep Legilimens out of one's head.

The two turned as there was a distant pop from outside and then the front door sounded.

"Sky!" The girl looked towards the door as her father's voice travelled through the house towards her.

"We're up here." She responded.

There was a scuffle as Skylar assumed Midori was collecting her father's coat and briefcase, before his footsteps sounded up the stairs and then down the hall before Nathaniel Rosenwald appeared in the doorway. Like his sons, he had brown hair and like his daughter he had bright blue eyes. Head of the family, he was the original legilimens of his children, though all their ability far surpassed his.

"Ah, Ronald, you are here." He grinned. He looked most excited.

"Yeah?" Ron looked worried like he'd done something wrong as Nathaniel walked into the room.

"I highly suggest you pack up your things and head home, your father has something to share with you." Nathaniel said, and he was grinning as he said it.

Ron looked at Skylar who rose an eyebrow.

"Something bad?" Ron asked carefully.

"Quite the contrary." Nathaniel assured. "He made me promise not to tell you before he could."

Ron now looked curious. He turned to Skylar who shrugged before he began to roll up his essay, which only had a few inches on it, grabbed his books and began to move to the door.

"See you tomorrow Sky." He said.

"Get that essay finished!" She responded as he disappeared through the door and down the hall.

"Yes, Hermione." He called back and she grumbled under her breath.

Skylar turned back to her father. "What's up?"

"Every year the _Daily Prophet_ has a Grand Prize Galleon Draw. This year, Arthur has won it." Nathaniel said grinning.

Skylar beamed. "Seriously?!" She asked and he nodded. "Wow! That's amazing!"

The Weasleys were a very large family, with seven children, and the two parents. Ron was the last son, being followed by the only girl, Ginny. Above him were the twins, Fred and George, Percy, who would be going into his final year of Hogwarts, and finally there was Charlie, and the oldest, Bill. Charlie and Bill had both already left Hogwarts. Charlie was pursuing his dream of dragons by working with them in Romania, while Bill worked in Egypt as a curse breaker for Gringotts, the Wizard Bank. The large family were warm, welcoming and lovely to be around, but they were, unfortunately, extremely poor, and no one deserved such a prize as they did.

"Fantastic! Ron can get a new wand!" Skylar grinned.

The year before, Ron and Harry had missed the train to school on the first of September and so they had decided, in their infinite wisdom, to steal Mr. Weasley's Ford Anglia. Mr. Weasley had charmed the car so that it could fly, and the two boys flew the car to school. In this ordeal, the two had ended up crashing into a tree on the school grounds. The Whomping Willow however was a tree that gladly hit back, and Ron had broken his wand during the process. Ron had struggled through all of his lessons the year previously due to his wand backfiring, hissing, puffing smoke and messing up even the simplest of spells.

"I think Arthur is thinking of treating his entire family with it." Nathaniel admitted.

"By doing what?" She wondered curiously.

Nathaniel shrugged and turned to leave the room with a grin.

Skylar gapped at her father before she got to her feet. "You can't keep secrets from me old man! I will find out!" She called after him as he turned the corner.

Nathaniel's laughter sounded down the hall as his daughter grumbled and sat herself back down to continue her essay.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Skylar, Nicholas and Leon were all lying on their backs, their heads together, and staring up at the high ceilinged roof that they had in the library. A giant crystal chandelier hovered above them as the roof was covered in carvings. The library had the highest ceiling, and therefore the highest walls within the entire house, even bigger than the ballroom. The ceiling was grooved and painted with gold leaf lining the patterns in the ceiling. The walls were all lined with high shelves, all of which were covered in books, many fraying and falling apart, while some shone and were very new. There was a platform that ran along half way up the walls and all around the room, creating a balcony, as a total of four ladders were leaned against the shelves, two on the ground floor on either side of the room, and two on the platform on the adjacent walls. The very top of the shelves held old antique ornaments. The tops of the tall windows were decorated with old wands and staffs. Within the middle of the room there was a set of comfy plush couches and armchairs, and around that a few tables with chairs.

The three children were lying on one of the two large rugs that covered the wooden floor, the couches around them.

"I forgot what this was like…" Leon muttered, breaking the silence.

"You mean the boredom?" Skylar asked.

"I don't remember ever spending so long in this house before." Nick agreed.

The large double oak doors to the library opened and Leon and Skylar turned their heads while Nick rose his from the floor to see who'd entered.

It was their mother, tall, pale, beautiful with hazel eyes like caramel and curly auburn hair like her daughter's.

"Gosh, I was wondering why it was all so quiet, what are you three doing?" She asked.

"Wasting away." The three responded in unison.

Dominique rose an eyebrow at her children.

"The Weasleys have gone to Egypt and we have nothing to do." Leon said simply.

Due to the prize money Mr. Weasley had won through the Daily Prophet, the Weasley parents had decided to use the money to go to Egypt to visit Bill. Even Charlie had agreed to accompany them, and so all nine Weasleys were reunited.

There had been a picture of them all in the _Daily Prophet_ not two days ago. All nine of the Weasleys had been waving furiously out at the onlookers, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.

"It's been three days and we're bored." Skylar confessed. "And they're gone for an entire month. What are we supposed to do? We've spent the last five years jumping between our house and theirs!" Skylar slumped dramatically. "Life may as well be meaningless." She placed a hand over her eyes as her brother's snickered at her dramatics.

Dominique chuckled herself at her daughter. "And before that you spent how many years with just the three of you?" She asked with a smile.

"I can't even remember." Nick admitted as he propped his chin into his palm, held up by his elbow on the rug, having turned over to lie on his stomach.

"Well, then, I guess you'll be more than grateful to learn we have a visitor." Dominique smiled.

The two younger siblings sat up in interest as Nick rose an eyebrow.

"Who?"

Dominique turned and left the room, causing her children to share confused looks, only to then get up and follow.

They moved to the main sitting room off the foyer, where they heard voices as their mother took a seat. Their father was already inside and as they turned the corner they saw he was joined by another man.

Skylar beamed. "Remus!" And she ran forward to throw her arms around the man, who quickly put his cup of tea down in order to receive it.

The man, Remus Lupin, held a pale face with premature lines, and light brown hair that, though he was only young still, was streaked with grey. The robes he wore were shabby and patched.

"What a pleasant surprise." Nick said as he chuckled at his sister. Leon moved forward to shake the man's hand as Skylar released him.

"We haven't seen you in forever!" Skylar said, scolding him. "In fact I don't think I've seen you since I turned eleven!"

"Well, I have come to visit, but you've all been at school." Remus confessed. Despite the fact that he was sitting down, the height of his knees as he sat on the couch said he was quite tall, standing at about six feet. "I did come for Christmas."

The three children turned to their parents surprised, they'd never heard about that?

"We didn't want you all to be upset for missing him." Dominique smiled.

"I'd rather know he was all right and came for a visit." Skylar admitted.

"It's no matter Sky, you'll be seeing me much more often this year." Remus said smiling.

The three children looked confused.

"How?" Nick asked as he was leaning on the back of one of the arm chairs, while Leon sat between his parents and Skylar took the empty seat beside Remus. "We'll be at school."

The three adults smiled.

"You three remember how Lucius Malfoy was kicked off the board of governors for the school?" Dominique asked

"Of course." The three responded instantly.

"Well, someone had to fill that seat, and the governors decided to offer it to your father." Their mother turned to smile at him.

Skylar grinned. "That's amazing!"

"Yeah, we own the school instead of Draco." Leon said before he cackled slightly.

"Now, now Leon." Nathaniel warned as Nick snickered too. "Well, as I now hold an important stand on the decisions of Hogwarts, I went to Dumbledore and we had a chat about the Defence Against the Dark Arts post. As all three of you know, it's vacant again."

"Yeah because Lockhart was an idiot and tried to perform a big spell with a broken wand." Skylar said snickering.

Gilderoy Lockhart had been the previous Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Concerned with nothing but his fame, his smile and his hair, he for all his classes read through his books, all of which encountered amazing tales in which villagers and people were saved. Lockhart however didn't seem to be able to accomplish anything himself, he spent most of the year making mistakes, like releasing pixies in class, removing bones from Harry's arm and forcing dwarfs to act like cupids. As it turned out, Harry, Ron and Skylar discovered Lockhart was a fake, and had stolen the stories from other witches and wizards, erasing their memories of completing the act after he had learned every detail of it. He tried to erase the three's memories as well, only he tired to use Ron's broken wand to do it and the spell backfired. Lockhart had been dismissed on the basis that he now had no idea who he was himself, let alone how to teach a subject.

"Exactly, you need a new teacher and I suggested someone for Dumbledore to try out. Previous student, very gifted, was a Prefect during his time at Hogwarts, model citizen and quite the role model." Nathaniel smirked.

"You mean you're going to be our new teacher?" Skylar asked turning to Remus. "Seriously?"

"Well, it took a bit of convincing, given my nature. The other governors were not completely on board and many of the other teachers disagreed," Remus confessed.

"But between Dumbledore and I we managed to persuade them all to allow it, though there will have to be measures in place." Nathaniel admitted.

"And you three are not to go blabbing about Remus all right." Dominique warned her children.

"Never." The three chorused.

"But Remus, you are aware that the teachers haven't lasted three terms so far?" Skylar admitted to him. "Lots of people think the position is cursed."

"Well, I'll try my best to resist such a curse." Remus smiled and Skylar grinned back.

"So what are you going to teach us? Are you going to come to the train with us? Are you staying until school begins again?" Leon asked, bombarding the man with questions.

"I will only stay if your mother is able to acquire some potion ingredients for me, otherwise I will be retreating." Remus confessed.

"Don't underestimate me Mooney," Dominique said with a wink. Remus smiled back at her. "I'll get the ingredients and make the potion for you, we would love for you to stay after all."

"And if you're still worried we do have a basement that's sure to hold you otherwise." Nathaniel smirked.

"You're too excited about locking him up." Skylar scolded her father, earning a laugh from everyone else.

"Well, you better be prepared Remus, after last year, no one knows anything." Nick confessed. "Lockhart was useless and I feel bad for those who had to take their OWLs with him."

OWLs were Ordinary Wizarding Examinations which were taking at Hogwarts in the fifth year. Certain grades had to be met for certain subjects in order for the student to continue those subjects into the final two years.

"Speaking of OWLs, you're doing yours this year right?" Leon thought, looking at his brother.

Nick's expression fell. "Thanks for the reminder."

"He'll be fine," Remus assured, "with such bright parents I doubt you've got much to worry about." Nathaniel and Dominique smirked, the man rolling his eyes in amusement.

"If you need a study schedule though, I know a bushy-haired, overly organised third year who could make you one." Skylar smirked. "Of course she's going to have to create one herself, mum, did I tell you that Hermione signed up for all the extra elective classes?" She asked.

"No?" Dominique asked looking surprised.

"Yeah, she's doing the seven core subjects, plus five electives." Skylar nodded.

"How's she going to manage that? There's only enough room in the timetable for thirteen classes?" Dominique confessed.

"Don't worry, Professor McGonagall's spoken to the Governors and Dumbledore about it, she has an idea." Nathaniel assured.

"Like what?" Nick questioned confused.

"Never you mind, but I suggest you don't bother her, she's bitten off more than she can chew if you ask me." Nathaniel confessed.

"I'll say." Skylar agreed before she beamed and turned back to Remus. "You'll get to meet Harry!"

"He looks just like James." Nathaniel nodded. "Apparently quite the trouble maker as well, though it seems the Weasley twins are matching James and Sirius' mischief."

"But he has Lily's eyes." Dominique smiled.

"I look forward to meeting him anyway." Remus confessed with a nod.

At that moment Midori ran into the room. Midori was the Rosenwald's house elf, with a large head, wide brown eyes and very large ears that resembled that of a bat, she stood no higher than any of the children's waists.

"Letter Master, of great urgency." She said to Nathaniel, holding a letter in her hands.

Nathaniel's forehead furrowed and he took it from the elf, who backed away bowing. Everyone watched as Nathaniel removed the seal of the Ministry and pulled out the letter inside. He read through it and his face paled as he did.

"Remus," he muttered and he handed the man the letter. Remus read through it and his expression became set as if in stone as well. He looked at Nathaniel who shared his glance before getting to his feet.

"Remus can we leave you here with the kids for a while?" He asked as Remus handed Dominique the letter. She read through it and her expression turned grave before she began to get to her feet.

"Midori, bring us our coats and shoes please." She said and the elf, who'd been standing by the door, nodded and hurried into the foyer to prepare them.

"Of course." Remus nodded. "But be careful."

The three children watched confused as their parents took their coats, pulled on their shoes and moved for the doorway. Stepping outside there was a pop as both disapparated before the door had even been closed by Midori.

All three children turned to Remus.

"What happened?" Leon questioned.

Skylar was watching Remus and he turned to look down at her. She gasped in surprise and her eyes widened.

"It seems one of the high security prisoners at Azkaban as escaped." Remus confessed.

The boys looked shocked.

"Escaped?" Leon questioned.

"No one escapes from Azkaban. The guards turn them weak and its on an island!" Nick said.

"That's why the Ministry is calling everyone back in." Remus admitted. "Your father, being the head of the Auror office, is going to have to work rather hard to catch them. Your mother as well."

"But people don't escape Azkaban…" Nick said again.

"How'd they do it?" Leon questioned.

"No one knows, his cell was just empty." Remus confessed.

"Who was it that escaped?" Nick wondered.

Remus was silent for a minute as Skylar was frowning, looking sorry for her parents as she glanced at the door they'd vanished through.

"Sirius Black."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

By the following morning, the news that Sirius Black had escaped the Wizard prison Azkaban, had quickly spread. Nathaniel and Dominique never came home during the night and Remus sat at the opposite end of the table from Nathaniel's spot at breakfast. Leon had been last to arrive at breakfast, taking his seat beside his sister as Midori had made them all pancakes.

Remus had the Daily Prophet in his hand, which Nathaniel got delivered daily. Right on the front cover was a picture, a large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair, blinking slowly out of the photo. His skin was waxy and white, with the only alive thing on his face being his eyes.

"What's it say?" Skylar asked, breaking the silence. Remus looked up at her before he cleared his throat.

"_Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, in the late evening hours yesterday, escaped from the fortress, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. _

"_We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." _

_Fudge has been criticised by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. _

"_Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an __irritable Fudge. __"Black is mad. He'__s a danger to__ anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it — who'd believe him if he did?"_

_While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse."_

Remus finished reading and he looked around at the three.

The children all knew the story of Sirius Black. He was a supporter of You-Know-Who. Twelve years ago, when You-Know-Who had gone, presumed dead, and Harry's parents had been killed, Black had risen up. There had been rumours that he believed he'd be next in line with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gone. The Ministry ordered his arrest, along with many other of You-Know-Who's followers, and when everyone caught up to him, he'd taken his wand and blasted the entire street apart. One wizard had been caught in the fray and so had twelve muggles.

What was worse, was after the entire ordeal, Black had laughed at the mess, and continued to laugh as he was taken away to Azkaban.

That was the public story, but the Rosenwald children knew the rest. It was hard to keep secrets from your children when they were all capable of interpreting your thoughts.

Sirius Black, while at school, had been best friends with Nathaniel, Remus, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. He had been James' best man at his wedding to Lily.

When the Potters had gone into hiding, discovering You-Know-Who was after him, they'd used a Fidelius charm, a spell that caused the location of a place to be confided in one person, and no one else could find the place without that one person telling them how to. This person was called a secret keeper, and the Potters had used Sirius Black as theirs.

Sirius Black had betrayed his friends, and had told You-Know-Who where to find the Potters.

Sirius Black was the reason Harry's parents were dead.

Sirius Black, a friend to Nathaniel Rosenwald and Remus Lupin had betrayed them all and essentially killed their good friend James Potter. What was worse was their other friend, Peter Pettigrew, had gone after Sirius, and was the wizard caught in the massacre Black caused.

It wasn't a subject brought up within the house, it caused anger and sadness.

Of course, Harry didn't know any of this. Very few people did.

"Why would he break out after twelve years?" Leon asked, breaking the silence.

No one knew the answer to that.

"Remus…" Skylar began and he turned to her. "What about Harry?" Remus pursed his lips and looked back down at the photo of his old friend. "Do we tell him?" She wondered quietly.

"I think it's best you wait for your parents to come home before you do anything about that Sky." Remus said.

"You don't think…" Nick began, glancing at them all. "You don't think he escaped because he can, you know…"

The three children looked at Remus.

"He was one too, right?" Nick confirmed, "Like dad, an animagus?"

Remus chose not to answer.

"Still doesn't explain why he waited twelve years." Leon muttered confused.

The door opened and everyone turned around to look and see Dominique and Nathaniel walking into the house. They'd been so absorbed in the new occurrence that none of them had heard the pop of them apparating.

Both Nathaniel and Dominique removed their coats and then walked into the dining room, taking their seats, Nathaniel at the head of the table opposite Remus, and Dominique beside Nick on her husband's right.

The three children and Remus watched their parents as Midori came hurrying in with breakfast for them both.

"The Azkaban guards don't know what happened. None of them saw or felt Black leave. We searched the entire prison and island but he seems to have escaped it." Nathaniel admitted.

"But how?" Skylar questioned, "Aren't the guards supposed to keep the prisoner's weak and lost within themselves, to stop them from being able to even think about escaping? He couldn't have apparated in that environment."

"No one knows." Dominique admitted. "Apparently though, Fudge was rather surprised the last time he'd inspected the prison, Black had asked for his newspaper. He'd apparently been so normal. Apparently he wanted to do a crossword and was bored," Nathaniel couldn't help but crack a small smile, the comment reminding him of who the man had used to be as his wife continued. "Seemed the guards didn't have much effect on him, he spoke most rationally to the Minister."

"If the guards didn't affect him than that's how he got out right?" Leon asked.

"They're still not sure how he did it." Nathaniel admitted, clearing his throat. "It's like he slipped through the bars."

There was silence.

"A human couldn't slip through the bars…" Nick muttered.

"Do they know why he escaped?" Remus asked.

"Apparently he'd been talking in his sleep the last few nights saying, "He's at Hogwarts." over and over." Dominique sighed.

"Who is?" Leon questioned

"Never you mind." Dominique decided.

But of course their silence didn't stop the children from learning. They looked at their parents and then at each other. Remus watched the three as they turned back to their breakfast, saying nothing and remaining silent. He released a sigh at them, even if their parents believed they'd given up on the subject, he knew better.

The Rosenwald family and Remus ate the rest of breakfast in silence. The parents rose from the table first, both moving for the stairs, needing clean clothes and a wash before they had to head back to the Ministry.

Nick and Leon shared a look as they too got up, leaving Skylar and Remus behind. The girl turned to the man, frowning.

"Tell me what's on your mind." He said softly.

"They think Black's after Harry." She muttered, "That he's escaped to finish off the Potters."

"A plausible theory." Remus nodded.

"But the Ministry has decided not to tell him. Remus he deserves to know, he needs to know what Black did." She believed.

"Do you believe that is in Harry's best interest?"

"I can't not tell him." Skylar thought, "He has a right to know."

"What do you think Harry will do when we learns the truth?" Remus asked calmly.

Skylar pursed her lips and dropped her head. If she had learnt her parents were gone, because their best friend betrayed them, she'd be more than upset, and angry too. And Harry… what if he went looking for Black?

"He's going to find out." She muttered. "If everyone's tiptoeing around him… and Black really is after him, he'll find out. And then he'll know I knew, it's not fair to keep this from him Remus."

"I know this is difficult for you Sky, but it's in Harry's best interest."

"Well, I don't think so." She said. "Harry's in danger and he doesn't know it, and if Sirius is after Harry, all of Hogwarts could be in danger… again!" She sighed.

"Hogwarts will be protected, the Ministry and Dumbledore wont let any harm come to Harry." Remus assured.

"Remus, our last two years haven't exactly been safe." Skylar confessed.

Remus couldn't help but chuckle and she sighed.

"What if he does learn, and he hates me for not telling him?" She whispered.

"He's your friend, right Skylar?" Remus asked and she nodded. "Then he will understand."

"He'd understand better if I could tell him." She said.

"The Ministry has decided not to trouble him."

"Remus the Ministry isn't always right, you're a prime example." She reminded him and he cracked a smile.

"Promise me Skylar, promise me you wont burden Harry with this."

"But—" Remus gave her a look, cutting off her argument.

Skylar didn't want to promise, she wanted to tell him everything now, she wanted to warn him. He was with the muggles, no protection, and had no idea of the truth. But Remus' gaze was hard and she couldn't bring herself to find a way away from it.

She nodded mutely.

Remus got up from his seat and pet her hair as he walked past and out of the room.

Skylar sat in her seat, staring at her sticky plate before her, empty besides a few small pools of maple syrup. Was she expected to keep this forever? Would they ever confess to Harry what happened? It wasn't fair, what gave the Ministry the right to make personal decisions like that about someone they didn't even know?

Skylar turned to look out the window to the front drive, if there was ever a time she wanted someone around, it was now. And yet Hermione was in France, Ron was in Egypt and Harry was three counties away and the one person she wasn't allowed to talk to. Who made up this stupid rule!

Skylar got up from her seat and stormed her way up to her bedroom, closing her door behind her in her frustration.

She'd always known the information of Sirius Black selling out the Potters, but for the last two years, while she'd known Harry, she had never been reminded of it. With the Philosopher's stone and the Chamber of Secrets it had completely been thrown from her mind. Aside from the fact that Sirius Black had been locked up and she might have forgotten about the whole ordeal because of that.

She sat herself down on her bed with a huff and collapsed herself backwards.

The door opened and Skylar turned her head, lifting it slightly, to see both her brothers. They had both gotten dressed, unlike their sister, and closed the door behind them. Skylar just collapsed herself back onto the duvet while they moved into the room, which was lit up by the open curtains. Skylar stared at the roof of her bedroom as they came to stand before her. They shared a look.

"You going to do it?" Nick questioned.

"What? Not tell my best friend that the mass murder who just escaped Azkaban wants to kill him and also betrayed his parents which led to their deaths?" She asked exasperated, crossing her arms.

Nick and Leon shared a look.

She bolted upright. "I can't not tell him!? What kind of friend would I be!?"

"So you going to go against mum, dad, Remus and the entire ministry?"

"Probably Hogwarts too, Dumbledore probably knows all about all of this." Leon admitted.

"Thanks for making my decision so much easier!" She snapped, before sighing. "I don't know… I think he should know…"

"But everyone else disagrees." Nick nodded.

"And I know Harry, he'll find this all out. Especially if everyone is tiptoeing around him to protect him." Skylar sighed. "If they think Black is after Harry, then until he's caught, Dumbledore especially will do what he can to protect Harry. The boy's going to figure it out."

"Well… why don't you tell him the situation, and then the truth." Leon offered.

Skylar frowned, that didn't really help her, because she wasn't allowed to tell anyone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Skylar wanted to tell Harry about Sirius Black, but she couldn't bring herself to do so in a letter. She couldn't even bring herself to write a letter at all. Every time she tried to figure out what to say, she kept coming back to Sirius Black. She hoped Harry wouldn't notice her lack of letters, Harry couldn't send any with Hedwig, he'd made a promise in exchange for Hedwig's freedom that he wouldn't. Skylar also knew she was the only one sending him letters at all, what with Ron and Hermione, a, being away on holiday, and b, not having the owls to deliver letters with. Hermione didn't have an owl at all, and the Weasley's family owl, Errol, was not very reliable. This meant he'd likely notice if her letters stopped.

"His birthday is coming up isn't it?" Nick asked when she voiced this problem to her brothers. "Send him a letter then and it'll throw him off."

"For how long?" Skylar worried.

"I don't see why this is such an issue, just send him a letter about what you've been up to, even tell him about Remus." Leon offered.

"I wanted that to be a surprise." Skylar mumbled. "Remus is a connection to Harry's parents."

"That seems even more a reason to tell him." Leon said confused.

"It wouldn't be a surprise then." Skylar sighed.

But she ended up finding something to say and burrowed her mother's owl Cicil to send it.

But the bringing up of Harry's birthday luckily got her thinking about something different other than Sirius Black.

"I plan on sending him clothes." Dominique shrugged when her daughter asked her what to get him.

"Mum, you can only get him so many clothes." Skylar sighed. "How much have you given him so far?"

"Only two Christmas' worth." She shrugged, earning the roll of the eyes from her daughter.

"Why don't you get him some Quidditch stuff?" Leon offered. "You know how much he loves that."

But Skylar already knew Hermione had addressed that issue… sort of. She'd ordered a Broom Servicing Kit from the Daily Prophet for Harry.

Then again, Harry didn't even have his own Quidditch team to support…

"Though he doesn't even know what teams there are…" She mumbled to herself. Skylar grinned. "Mum!" She shouted, much to the surprise of Leon as she ran from his room.

As usual with Harry's birthday, the end of July also meant Hogwarts letters. As always, the letters arrived in the morning during breakfast, one of which the Rosenwald parents were missing from.

"It's like they don't even get to sleep." Leon muttered as he was slumped, his head in his palm, his elbow on the table.

"Elbow off the table Leon, mum says it's bad manners." Skylar reminded him, poking at the appendage.

"You know Dad came home at two in the morning, only to leave again an hour later." Leon confessed.

Remus was still with the family and sitting in his spot, his back to the windows that opened to the front drive.

"You have to remember that your father's department is in charge of catching Black." He said. "You mother isn't exactly going to let him work around the clock like that by himself now is she?" He smiled.

"Still, it has been rather quiet." Leon muttered. "When do the Weasleys get back?"

"A week or two before school begins I'm sure." Skylar sighed. "The article in the Daily Prophet said they'd be gone for a month and Ron confirmed it. They left a week ago so…" she nodded as she calculated the time.

"Well, I have to go to Hogwarts and set up a few things so your mother at least will be back home more often to look after you." Remus said.

All three of them turned to him surprised. "You're leaving?" They all questioned.

"Come now," he said chuckling, "it's not like you wont see me again."

The three sighed regardless. It was nice having Remus around, he hardly ever came to visit, due to thinking it was dangerous, but he'd been able to stay with them for a week now. It was a nice change.

Midori walked into the room then with the morning mail, and handed each child their own letter before giving Remus Nathaniel's morning newspaper.

"Hogwarts letters." Leon grinned, opening his.

"I'm surprised you're still excited." Nick confessed as he opened his, reading through the first one informing him of the train leaving at eleven a.m. on the 1st of September before he scanned through his book list.

Skylar had a letter thicker than usual and grinned as she found the extra piece of parchment inside to be the permission form for Hogsmeade. She read the letter from the Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall. Professor McGonagall was also head of Gryffindor house, in which the Rosenwald's, Weasleys, Hermione and Harry all belonged to.

_Dear Miss Rosenwald,_

_Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock. _

_Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign. _

_A list of books for next year is enclosed. Yours sincerely,_

_Professor M. McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress _

"What's the village like Nick? Is it big?" She asked as she looked over the permission slip.

"Narr, it's quaint." Nick shrugged.

Leon snickered. "It's weird hearing you use words like 'quaint'." Nick rose an eyebrow at his brother before returning to his list.

Skylar's list was slightly longer than she'd expected. She needed _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three_, a new transfiguration book of _Intermediate Transfiguration_, several books for ancient Runes including _Advanced Rune Translation, Ancient Runes Made Easy, Magical Hieroglyphs and Logogram_s, a_ Rune Dictionary_ and _Spellman's Syllabary_ by Spellman. And then at the bottom was the book she suspected was for Care of Magical Creatures, _The Monster Book of Monsters._

"_The Monster Book of Monsters_?" Skylar read.

"Yeah, that's on my list too," Nick said, before he looked at his sister. "Care of Magical Creatures right?" He asked and she nodded.

"You don't already have that one?" She asked.

"No…" he said looking confused, "Wonder what Professor Kettleburn is up to."

"I've heard he's a bit mad, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was something weird." Leon confessed.

"He apparently lost a Chimera once around the school several years ago so I wouldn't be surprised either." Nick mumbled.

"He still missing all his limbs?" Remus chuckled.

"Not all of them." Skylar rolled her eyes. "You don't know why he's added a new book do you?"

"As I take it, he hasn't." Remus smiled. "Kettleburn retired at the end of last year."

The three all shared a surprised look.

"So a new teacher is taking on Care of Magical Creature? Who?" Skylar asked excitedly.

"Oh he asked me not to say anything." Remus smiled.

"Oh come on Remus." Nick rolled his eyes, "That means you want to tell us."

"A promise is a promise Nick." Remus said.

"Remus, are you close with all the teachers?" Leon wondered.

"Close? Well, not to all. Most of them were teachers when I was at school. Dumbledore of course was there, McGonagall, Binns naturally, Snape was still a student, Kettleburn was still teaching. Honestly the teachers haven't changed much." He confessed.

"But you still wont tell us?" Leon grumbled and Remus chuckled.

"Fine, we wont ask you to tell us." Skylar shrugged.

"Try your legilimency all you want Skylar." Remus smiled. She scowled at him.

"Hey isn't is Harry's birthday tomorrow?" Nick suddenly asked.

"Yes," Skylar grinned, "speaking of which can I borrow one of your owls to send him his gift?"

"You can burrow Mitchum if you'd like." Nick shrugged.

"Thanks." She grinned before turning to Remus. "Remus, do you have to go now?"

"Yes, wont you come to Diagon Alley with us!" Leon beamed.

"And when are you going?" Remus asked.

The three were quiet and then turned to look at one another.

"Well, we can't go until the Weasleys get back." Leon said.

"You want to spend another day with Ginny in Diagon Alley?" Nick asked with a mock surprised look on his face. Leon glared at him. "Wasn't one last year enough?"

"We don't have to go with the Weasleys." Skylar said, "But I'd like to, with Hermione and Harry too."

"And we all know you want to go with Fred and George, run into Lee if you can." Leon said to Nick, who shrugged.

"Well, when you figure out a date, you let me know." Remus chuckled.

"Well, then I'm going to send Hermione and Ron a letter and ask them." Skylar decided.

"Hang on we can all send them some." Nick decided. "And since you're using Mitchum for Harry, we can send Reylon."

"Don't you think it'd be unfair to have him go to France and then down to Egypt all at once?" Skylar asked. Nick looked surprised for a moment before he sighed.

"I keep forgetting she's on holiday too. That's a good point."

The three of them moved to their bedrooms and got dressed for the day, before heading back to the living room. Remus leant on the doorframe as he looked at the three students, Leon lying on the stomach on his floor, Skylar curled up on the couch and Nick sitting at the table between the three couches. Each of them had parchment in front of them and each was scratching at them with quills in their hands.

"I'm assuming you two have finished your holiday homework then?" He interrupted and was looking at the older two Rosenwalds.

Nick nodded without looking up. "I'm almost done." He responded and Remus turned his gaze onto Skylar.

She paused at the feeling of his eyes on her and she looked up at him. "I started it…" she admitted.

Her brothers turned to her as Remus rose an eyebrow.

"Well, I started it all with Ron, we got Transfiguration done, mostly cause it was the most exciting and started on our History of Magic essay but then he left." She admitted, rambling.

"You've had how much time with the Weasleys on holiday and didn't think to continue?" Remus asked smirking.

She pouted, her bottom lip jutting out. "I was hoping to do it all with Ron, it's more fun when you do it with another." She confessed. "Besides, Ron slacks off so much that it makes me feel like I'm actually accomplishing something and then I do better." She grinned.

Nick, Remus and Leon all starred at her for a moment before they started laughing. She shrugged with a smirk on her face.

She returned to her letter as the three males laughed before she signed off the bottom.

"Right, I've finished my letter." She smiled as she folded it up. Nick quickly returned to his letter, still snickering and Leon began to fold up his. "Mum promised that Harry could come stay this holidays and I think, especially with the Sirius Black issue, that it's about time he did." She confessed as she stood up. "You two done?" Nick signed off his and nodded before he held his hand out to his sister. Skylar handed him the letter and Nick handed them both to Leon.

Reylon and Mitchum were both enjoying the sunlight outside, sitting in a tree and napping, their heads under their wings. Leon and his siblings moved through the garden trying to find the two owls before the barn owl and little tawny came into view.

"Reylon!" Leon called, waking the bird up. It blinked as it rose its head and looked around, blinking in the sun light. Reylon stretched his little wings before flying down to sit on Leon's outstretched hand. "We have a bit of a trip for you to take Rey." Leon said as the owl stuck his leg out, clearly not bothered. Nick began to tie the three letters to the owl's leg. "We need you to deliver these to the Weasleys, they're in Egypt at the moment." Reylon ruffled his feathers proudly before stretching his wings and taking off into the sky.

"Oh, I should probably go and get Harry's birthday present to send." Skylar remembered and she turned to hurry back into the house.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Skylar sat in her room, trying to do her Potions homework as she sat on her bed, her potions books around her, as well as a few extras she'd taken from the library of her home. Nick and Leon were both outside in the sun, playing some Quidditch while Remus was doing some research in the library for his lessons at Hogwarts. The children's parents were once again at the Ministry working.

A tap on the window drew Skylar's attention away from her dismal potions essay. Getting up from her spot, Skylar moved over to the window and opened it for an owl to fly in. It was a large, white, snowy owl, one that Skylar recognised instantly.

"Hedwig." She smiled and moved over to pet the animal. Hedwig enjoyed the brush over her feathers before she held out her leg. An eyebrow raised Skylar noticed a letter attached to it.

"I thought Harry wasn't allowed to send letters…" she mumbled. But she untied the letter all the same and then unfolded it.

_Dear Sky, _

_Thanks heaps for the book! It wasn't until I opened it that I really thought about how I don't have my own Quidditch team. Not that strange given I get up with muggles you know… _

_I have a favour to ask you, can you look after Hedwig for a week for me? My uncle's sister is coming to the house for the week and I have to act like a muggle. She's just like how my aunt and uncle are, in fact she even sort of looks like my Uncle, you remember him, with his moustache and large neck?_

— Skylar chuckled —

_Anyway, it'd be strange if she bursted into my room (which she's likely to do) and saw Hedwig. Muggles don't have owls for pets. _

_I know you'll try to tell me off for being something I'm not, but it's for a good cause; if I pretend to be a muggle while Marge is here, Uncle Vernon said he'd sign my permission form for Hogsmeade. It's only for a week._

_Ron and Hermione both sent me presents as well, letters included. Ron showed me the clipping of them on holiday in Egypt, you must be lonely without them all, no surprise you sounded so desperate to have me over. _

— Skylar scowled at the paper —

_Ron did say he was going to be at Diagon Alley on the last week of the holidays, and Hermione agreed it was a good time, likely you'll be going as well. Can you let them know that I'll get back to them as to whether I can go or not? That also goes for if I can come and stay at yours after Marge leaves. I get the feeling the Dursleys will be happy for me to leave early but you never know with them. _

_I hope you're having a good holiday and thanks for having Hedwig. _

_See you soon. _

_Harry._

Skylar rose an eyebrow and looked at the bird. "His uncle's sister…" she mumbled. Skylar knew that it was Harry's Aunt that had been related to his mother, which made his uncle's sister no relative of Harry's. "Yet he still has to put up with her." She mumbled.

Skylar didn't mind having Hedwig with her, it'd almost be like having her own owl for a week, though she did love her cat.

Meridiem was sitting on her cat scratcher looking down at the new comer lazily. The cat was so white she gave off a sort of glow, while her eyes were a bright blue like glittering sapphires, somewhat similar to Skylar's.

"Well, then Hedwig, let me show you around." Skylar smiled and she held her arm out to the bird. Hedwig landed on her shoulder and nipped her ear affectionately before Skylar moved for the door. Meridiem jumped off her perch and instantly followed curiously.

The main thing to show Hedwig was where the owls perch was. It sat outside her parents offices and the library. Several perches with water and food sat there against the house wall and there was a window that never closed beside it, leading to the two offices. The perch was currently empty as Cicil, Dominique's owl, and Trip, her father's Eagle owl, were both being constantly used what with Sirius Black's escape. Reylon was still delivering to Egypt and Skylar had sent Mitchum to France for Hermione.

Hedwig jumped off of Skylar's shoulder and drank some of the water, nibbling at the food.

"Since you're here though, I'm going to get a perch for my room in case you'd rather be in there. I don't have a cage like Harry does but then again, a perch is probably nicer." Skylar said, brushing the owl's feathers. She left the snowy owl to go and talk to Midori about an owl perch, explaining how Hedwig was staying with them for a week as she did.

Midori had a perch put together in a click of her fingers before she transported it up to Skylar's room, putting it near the still open window on one side of her bed.

"Best it's not next to Meridem's scratch post." Skylar nodded. Meridem sniffed at the perch as she'd followed Skylar back up into the room before she moved across the room to her tower, climbing all the way to the top.

"Don't pout now." Skylar sighed as the cat sat looking down at her. "It's only temporary and you'll like Hedwig."

Meridem turned around and lay herself down with her back to Skylar.

The girl scowled. "That was childish," and she moved back to her bed to continue her homework.

It was later that week that Dominique and Nathaniel were finally able to come home. They had spent a long period of time working at the Ministry, having spent just under two weeks there around the clock to try and find Sirius Black.

"He can't be found Remus and we both know why…" Nathaniel confessed one evening as he, Dominique and Remus sat in the living room. It was after dinner and the sun had set, causing the room to be lit up by the lamps, casting a glow over the room.

"You haven't told them?" Remus asked.

"And explain everything that we did as children? Come on Remus, you haven't told Dumbledore either, despite us all knowing Sirius might turn up there. If he is after Harry then that's where he'd find the boy after term starts." Nathaniel confessed. "The Ministry would have a cow if it learnt what we did."

"I hope you're not saying that to hold onto your position dear." Dominique added. "You have to remember, its Harry's life we're protecting. Lily and James did everything to protect it and we must too."

"Dear it's not about my job, though I am worried what might happen to yours if the ministry got wind of the truth…" Nathaniel sighed. He'd been pacing around the room and finally sat himself down.

"The idea that everyone was looking for a person when they should be looking for a large black dog was eating at me so much I had to put Kingsley in charge of the whole ordeal." Nathaniel confessed.

"You did?" Remus asked.

"I asked for updates every time he got one but, honestly I had to turn my attention else where." Nathaniel admitted.

"Elsewhere being where?" Remus asked.

"The Minister has been going on about protecting Harry, by keeping him in the dark about it all, he's pushing security measures." Dominique admitted. "He can't protect Harry directly, so he's making arrangements at Hogwarts to protect everyone."

"What kind of arrangements?" Remus wondered.

"He's arguing with Dumbledore about putting Dementors around the school perimeter, stop Sirius getting through."

"Dementors wont stop him, he knows every passage in and out just as well as we do." Remus confessed.

"I know. But I also know that Dumbledore knows of many of those passages too." Nathaniel confessed. "In any case it worried me as well so I offered to Fudge that I station myself at Hogwarts for the time being. One I can keep an eye out for Sirius, as I knew him as a younger man. Two I can keep an eye on Harry as my daughter is good friends with him. And three, I'm a new governor and it wont look all that suspicious." Nathaniel explained.

"And he agreed?"

"He did, especially after I put Kingsley in charge of the man hunt for him at the Auror office." Nathaniel nodded. "Dominique can look after any paper work I can't get delivered and Dumbledore's agreed to give me one of the spare offices at the school, linked with Floo Powder to my office at the Ministry just in case."

"Are you sure about this, Sabre?" Remus asked.

"He's our old friend Remus, and with the two of us there, we can do a better job. No one knows that school like we do and no one knows Sirius like we do."

"It'll help keep Harry safe, especially after the last two years. Honestly it makes my heart frantic when I think of what could have happened to Sky, Harry and Ron in June." Dominique confessed.

The girl in questioned was sitting at the top of the stairs in silence, listening to her parents voices that wafted up towards her. Nick was standing, leaning on the banister on her right while Lean was lying on the floor behind her, staring at the ceiling. All three Rosenwalds had gone to bed, but had snuck back out one by one. They'd heard their parents frantic voices when Remus had asked how the search was going and snuck to the top of the stairs to listen.

Skylar moved her hands as Meridiem brushed along her back and moved to sit in her lap, the thirteen year old letting her as she brushed her ears. She turned to glance at Nick beside her and he had a frown on his face.

It was a difficult situation their parents had been put into, they knew about Sirius Black's secret, about being an Animagus, and yet because they'd changed illegally, because they'd never declared it, no one else knew. And because of that, no one knew about Nathaniel either. Skylar had asked her father why he'd never declared his animal shape, and he'd once said that it continued to slip his mind, other things continued to get in the way.

Their parents and Remus were still muttering as Nick moved to sit beside his sister.

"You're not the only one in the conundrum." He breathed quietly.

"Dad could lose his job if he confessed about Black being an animagus… he'd have to explain what happened while they were in school, how they'd all become animagus'." She whispered back quietly. "And we all know how dad worked hard for that job. Remember there was a point when he was never home?"

"I had almost forgotten what he'd looked like." Leon mumbled from behind them.

"You were only three." Nick added before he looked at his sister. She frowned at him and dropped her gaze.

"I feel like Dumbledore would understand… more so than the Minister." She breathed, glancing at the light flooding over the foyer from the room on the right of the staircase she sat at the top of.

"Yeah but you know why they became animagus', it was to keep Remus company, and he wasn't supposed to be running around outside." Nick reminded her. "I doubt any of them feel like that was a good idea now. What if someone had gotten hurt?"

"I almost wish dad had never showed us his animal form, or told us about that story…" Skylar mumbled. "It'd be easier if I didn't know, I wouldn't have to worry about lying to Harry."

"Yeah but, imagine how angry you'd be if you then found out and hadn't known." Nick confessed.

Skylar huffed and dropped her head into her arms, resting on her knees which were pulled to her chest.

She suddenly jumped and Meridiem hissed as she too was startled, as there was a humongous BANG —

Leon sat bolt right up, Nick jumped to his feet, and within a second, Nathaniel, Dominique and Remus had run out of the living room. They all caught sight of the children who were looking just as startled. In the next moment Midori came running out from the kitchen, a frying pan in her hand.

Everyone in the house was now in the foyer, the children on the stairs, and the cause of the bang was unknown. No one in the house had made it…

"What was that?" Nick demanded when no one had spoken.

There was silence for a moment and everyone turned towards the door as there was a rumbling somewhere outside. Skylar and Leon had gotten to their feet and everyone jumped a second time. There was another huge BANG. It echoed through the sky and through the house, but it was clear now that the noise was coming from outside.

The three children ran down the stairs as Nathaniel moved for the door, opening it. Everyone filed out onto the front step, Nathaniel and Remus onto the drive looking around. Midori clicked her fingers and all the lamps that lined the drive lit up.

Skylar was the one to notice something out of place and she stepped down from the front step, moving beside her father as she looked up the right hand side of the drive. There was a figure moving down the drive from the open front gates. As she watched them she heard a grinding sound, similar to that of wheels on the paved drive.

Skylar reached up and grabbed her father's sleeve to draw his attention. At the same time everyone else heard the noise and turned too.

The figure continued to move towards them all before it past one of the lit lamp posts, casting light across the face.

"Harry!" Skylar gasped in surprise.

Harry Potter, with his black, untied hair, green eyes, in clothes much too big for him, was walking down the drive, a bird cage under one arm and hauling a trunk behind him with the other.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

The Rosenwald girl quickly moved forwards, down her drive and stopped before the boy, who also came to a halt.

She stared at him for a moment.

"Hi." He mumbled.

He seemed very down about something, a frown on his face and uncertainty in his eyes as he glanced at Skylar's family behind her.

"What on earth are you doing here?" She demanded.

"It's… a long story." He confessed.

"Well," the two turned to Dominique, who'd walked up behind her daughter and smiled at her godson. "I suppose you'd better come inside and tell it." She smiled. "Midori." She rose her voice slightly and the elf came running forwards. She bowed to Dominique before reaching for Hedwig's cage, which Harry had tucked under his arm.

Harry glanced from Skylar to the elf before he handed her the cage. She took it with both hands before she clicked her fingers and the trunk lifted off the paved driveway. Harry watched as his trunk followed the elf, who turned and headed back for the door.

Dominique placed a hand on Harry's back and guided him past Skylar, and to the front door.

"Looks like we have a visitor." She smiled at Nathaniel before moving inside.

Nick, Leon, Nathaniel and Remus all were watching her surprised as Skylar moved back over to them all.

"I'm so confused." She whispered, looking at the four males. Her bothers both nodded before she was first to move inside.

Harry was standing in the foyer gazing at the large room in awe. Two sets of stairs angled away from him up to the next level before him and cast darkness over the hallway beyond. Amongst this darkness and only just able to be seen was the ballroom door, which sat directly ahead of him.

Skylar tapped his shoulder and he turned to her as she waved her hand for him to follow her into the brightly lit sitting room the adults had just been using.

Harry looked around at the leather furniture, heavy fireplace, which was currently empty, the family photos that moved within their frames and the large cabinet that held all sorts of odd items he'd never seen before.

Skylar took a seat and he sat down beside her. "I know I invited you over but you were supposed to worn me first." She said.

Harry didn't smile and she furrowed her forehead. "Harry what happened?" She asked.

Nick sat himself on the arm of the sofa beside his sister, Remus was leaning on the doorframe, looking at the boy, so much like his old childhood friend, Nathaniel had taken a seat on one of the other couches and Dominique had vanished for the moment while Leon was standing watching the boy.

Dominique walked back in and handed Harry a glass of water. He took it and took a sip before he took a breath and turned to look at Skylar.

"I blew up my aunt." He said.

Everyone was silent and Skylar couldn't help but just blink.

"I'm sorry?" She asked.

"Well, not _my _aunt. Remember I told you my uncle's sister was coming to stay, and that's why I needed you to look after Hedwig?" He said and Skylar nodded. "Well, she's so fowl and hates me, always telling my aunt and uncle what's wrong with me and how I'm nothing like Duddly who's perfect…" Harry rolled his eyes. "Earlier in the week she made a snap about my parents and she brought it back up today and… she just made me so angry…" He balled his empty hand into a fist and took a breath.

"You made her swell!" Skylar realised as Harry recalled the memory.

"Swell?" Leon questioned.

"Like what a swelling potion does." She muttered to Leon who rose an eyebrow. "You'll learn about it with Snape this year." Skylar mumbled waving the thought away.

"So you didn't blow her up like firework…" Nick double checked and Skylar hit him.

"Then I burst the cupboard door open to get my things and I left the house." Harry confessed and he turned to glance at Skylar's parents. "I couldn't think where to go, Ron and Hermione are abroad and I didn't have Hediwg, but then I remembered you'd told me where your place was… but I didn't know how to get here. And…" he paused and glanced around the room before turning back to Skylar. Her forehead furrowed before he began again. "I remembered what you said about the Knight Bus…"

"That's what that banging was." Nathaniel said, nodding his head and sighing. "How we didn't recognise it." He said to Remus who glanced at his old friend and then back to Harry.

"I suppose it was only a matter of time before you ran away from the Dursleys…" Skylar muttered.

She was glad Harry was here, and glad he'd taken the initiative to leave… but the idea that he'd been out there, by himself, while Sirius Black was on the loose…

"Remember last year I got a final warning for doing underaged magic, which Dobby did?" Harry asked and Skylar nodded. "They said if I did any more I'd be expelled."

Skylar now understood why Harry looked so down. He thought he was going to be expelled from Hogwarts. She felt a smile tug on her lips and rose a hand to hide it, but the movement caught Harry's attention and he looked at her amused face.

"What?" He demanded.

"Harry, you're not going to be expelled for that. You got angry and lost control but it was an accident." She admitted, smirking slightly, "Right?" She turned to her father, who smiled.

"I highly doubt they'd let you get expelled, even if the Ministry tried to do so, Dumbledore wouldn't allow it." Nathaniel admitted.

"Hang on, can we please return to the fact that Harry blew his aunt up like a balloon?" Nick said and he started laughing. "What did she look like? Was it funny?"

Harry looked at Nick and then to Skylar as she had started snickering as well. Even Leon couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Though running away was a bit rash." Nathaniel had to add. "Not that I can blame you if they made you angry enough to lose control like that." He sighed. He turned to Dominique. "The Ministry probably knows about this, I'll go and sort it all out. I suppose they'll be wondering where he is as well."

"Yes, better let Cornelius know," she nodded in agreement. "He'll be sending out a search party soon otherwise."

"Mum, Harry's staying here now though, right?" Skylar said as her father nodded and left the room for the kitchen, wanting to use the floo network.

"Unless he doesn't want to." Dominique shrugged.

"He wouldn't have come here if he didn't." Skylar rolled her eyes. She turned back to Harry and grinned at him. "Come on, I'll show you around."

"Skylar, have you noticed the time?" Nick said chuckling.

"So?"

"So I think a tour can wait." Dominique said. "How about we get some food for Harry first?"

She got up and lead the way to the kitchen. Skylar stood as well and nodded her head. "Come on."

"Skylar, what am I going to do when the Ministry learns I'm here?" Harry questioned quietly as her brother's and Remus had followed Dominique.

"Harry, you're not going to be expelled."

"You didn't see what I did, I wouldn't be surprised if they arrested me." He said frantically.

Skylar rose an eyebrow at him. "You think this warrants an arrest?" She muttered. Harry stared at her, his face panic stricken. She sighed and leaned forwards to place her hands on his shoulders.

"Harry. You are not going to be arrested. I can see what you did and it's not something the Magical Reversal Squad can't take care of. You think you're the first underage wizard to lose it due to heightened emotions?" She questioned. "You're thirteen years old, just, you can't be blamed for what happened."

"You really don't think I'm going to be arrested?" He asked.

"Of course not! That's way too drastic. People have done worse."

"Yeah, I heard about Black escaping." Harry said.

Skylar stared at him before she cleared her throat. She sat herself back down beside him. "Yeah, it's kept my parents busy since. This is one of the first nights they've actually been home." She confessed. "Another reason you shouldn't run off. It's not exactly safe out there you know."

"I was going to go to the Leaky Cauldron, to Diagon Alley, but…" Harry shrugged.

"I'm glad you came here instead, otherwise we'd have had to go to the Leaky Cauldron to collect you." She smirked and Harry rolled his eyes. "You made a promise to stay here for some time, so that's what's happening." She grinned.

Footsteps sounded and the two thirteen year olds turned as Leon came dashing back into the room.

"Sky! Sky! The Minister is here!"

"What!?" Skylar asked surprised.

"Cornelius Fudge." Leon said. "He came back with dad."

"Why?"

"He wants to talk to Harry."

Harry paled and Skylar looked at him unsurely. He turned to her, a worried and also annoyed look on his face.

"You wont be expelled." She said strongly before she stood. "He's probably just checking up on you." She shrugged.

Harry didn't look confident but he stood up and followed Skylar back into the foyer, past the stairs, and down the corridor to the left, past the ballroom and to a door that opened into the kitchen.

"_There _you are, Harry," said a voice the second they walked in. Nick was standing in the room beside his mother while Nathaniel had placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Before the three of them was Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. Remus it seemed had made himself scarce for the moment.

"Shall we adjourn to the sitting room?" Cornelius Fudge offered with a smile. "and perhaps a pot of tea."

Midori got to work and Nathaniel offered for Fudge to lead the way. He had of course been in the Rosenwald house many times before when he'd come to talk to the head of one of his departments.

Everyone tracked back to the sitting room and Fudge moved to look out the window.

Skylar pulled Harry back down on the couch beside her while Leon and Nick sat with their mother on another couch. Nathaniel remained standing. Midori came in the next moment with a tray, a pot of tea and several tea cups with it. She had added some small cupcakes to nibble on to a plate that joined the beverage.

"Well, I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry. The Minister of Magic." Fudge introduced himself to the black-haired boy. Harry of course already knew this; he had seen Fudge once before, but he had been wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, of which Fudge wasn't to know about. Harry glanced at Skylar, the corner of her mouth having quirked towards a smile. They had indeed been hiding under the cloak with Ron in Hagrid's hut.

"Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think… but you're safe, and that's what matters."

Midori handed everyone a cup of tea before Fudge leant down for one of the cupcakes. He pushed the plate towards Harry and Skylar on the couch.

"Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. Now then… You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done."

Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favourite nephew. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but it seemed he couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again. He turned to Skylar who gave him an 'I told you so' look.

Fudge however thought he was thinking of other matters.

"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."

Harry managed to find his voice now.

"I _always _stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," he said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."

"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other — er — _very _deep down."

Everyone just stared at Fudge, but none of them bothered to correct him. All of the Rosenwalds were aware of the Dursleys mistreatment of Harry and all knew he was better off anywhere else.

"So all that remains," said Fudge, now taking a second cupcake, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last three weeks of your vacation. I suggest—"

"Oh he'll be staying here Cornelius." Dominique smiled.

"Here?" the Minister asked, blinking at the sudden offer.

"Well, I am one of his legal Guardians and am very capable of looking after him. He is after all safe here and we can get him his things from Diagon Alley and take him to the station to get to school." Dominique rationalised. "Unless you think he'd be better out by himself…"

"No, no, no, you're quite right." Fudge nodded in agreement.

"Hang on," blurted Harry. "What about my punishment?"

Fudge blinked. "Punishment?"

"I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!"

"Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his cupcake impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"

"Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" Harry told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"

Fudge was now looking suddenly awkward. Skylar watched him, an eyebrow raised. He was protecting Harry because of Sirius Black, if Harry was at school he was safer, but of course, the Minister couldn't tell Harry that.

"Circumstances change, Harry… We have to take into account… in the present climate… Surely you don't _want _to be expelled?"

"Of course I don't," said Harry.

"Well, then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, I think you'll be very comfortable here. Just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand… I don't want you wandering off, all right? Don't need to cause your hosts any trouble. Sure you'll understand."

"Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why—?"

"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no… best we know where you are… I mean…" Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak.

"Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know…"

"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked.

Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak. "What's that? Oh, you've heard — well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed… and they are angrier than I've ever seen them."

Fudge shuddered slightly.

"So, I'll say good-bye."

He held out his hand and Harry shook it.

"Dominique, Nathaniel, do take good care of him." Fudge smiled. And with a last smile and shake of Harry, Nick, Leon, Skylar, Dominique and Nathaniel's hands, Fudge left the room.

"He's not very subtle is he…" Leon said, only to receive a jab in the ribs from his mother's elbow beside him.

"Well,… do you feel better?" Skylar asked smirking.

"Shut up." Harry grumbled at her.

"Well, it's late, Harry's had quite the ordeal, Skylar, why don't you show him to his room, Midori's already taken his things up." Dominique smiled.

"Which room?" Skylar wondered.

"Well, we're not exactly going to put him down the other end of the hallway are we." Nick smirked. Skylar rolled her eyes before turning to Harry.

"Come on." She got up and Harry got up beside her. "Night everyone."

"Goodnight." Everyone chorused and Harry glanced at them all before they moved up the stairs.

"I know Ron said this place was massive but…" Harry muttered as they reached the top of the stairs and turned right.

"You haven't even seen outside yet." Skylar chuckled. "You can ride your broom here as well." She confessed. As expected Harry grinned. "You can use one of the studies or sit outside to do you homework, oh! And Hedwig's in my room." Skylar hurried to her bedroom door and opened it. The light was on and Meridiem was on her stand while Hedwig looked up from her perch.

"Hedwig." Harry grinned stepping into the room. The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm.

"She's had quite the field week, flying around all the time. Good thing it's summer, I might have frozen with the window open all the time." Skylar chuckled as Harry stroked his bird.

His attention however had been taken to Skylar's large room, her giant bed opposite the door with a window on either side.

"Do you really need a room this big?" He asked.

"Why not?" She shrugged before smirking. "Come on, I'll show you were the bathroom is and where you'll be staying."

"I get my own room?" Harry asked as she walked out and continued down the hall.

"You can use your own bathroom too if you're so keen." Skylar chuckled.

She moved past her brother's room and to the first spare bedroom. The door was open and the light was on, more so the bed had been turned down while Harry's trunk sat at the foot of it.

"You're more than welcome to use the draws and the desk." Skylar said as a chest of draws sat by the bed and the desk sat opposite. "You are going to be here for three weeks and knowing my mother she'll keep this room available for you." Skylar chuckled. "If you'd have stayed with us instead of the Dursleys I'd dare say you'd have had this room… or Leon's, one of the other."

Harry was looking around the large room before he sat on the bed. Skylar watched him as he glanced down beside him. She knew what he was thinking, he was imagining what would have been like living here, instead of with the Dursleys.

"So, we all eat breakfast together in the morning, just come down when you wake up and we all eat dinner together as well. Lunch is all over the place. Mum and dad may or may not be here in the morning, it depends on the whole… Sirius Black thing." She said taking a deep breath before mentioning the name. "Dad's department is in charge of finding him so, they're rather busy. Tomorrow I'll show you around the place and then you can do what ever. I don't know about you, but I have homework to finish still."

"Yeah… the Dursleys tried to lock all my things up, I had to do my homework at night when they were all asleep." Harry confessed.

"Well, here, you can do it whenever." Skylar grinned. "Anyway, I'll see you in the morning. I'll get Midori to move the stand from my room to here for Hedwig. If you need anything just call for her, she'll get you what ever." Skylar smiled and Harry nodded to her.

"Night then."

"Sky," the girl paused and Harry flashed her a grin. "Thanks."

"What are friends for?" She asked chuckling before she closed the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

The four children all woke up rather late the following morning. Harry had arrived very late into the night, and every one was sleeping in as a consequence.

Skylar rubbed her eyes as she had pulled on her dressing gown and was slumping her way down the stairs to the dinning room. She yawned as she walked into the room to the smell of eggs and bacon for breakfast on toast with pumpkin juice on the side. Leon, Nick and Harry were already there. The parents and Remus however, were not.

"Morning sleepy-head." Nick smirked.

"Morning." She yawned as she sat down. "Where's mum and dad?"

"They had to go to work." Nick admitted. "Dad woke me up to tell me. And Remus apparently had things to prepare so he left too. He said he'll see us at Hogwarts, if not on the train in September."

"He's not coming back?" Skylar asked sadly.

"He said he'd try, but not to be disappointed if he couldn't. Mum says that she'll be back by lunch time though."

"So…" Skylar began as a smirk grew on her face, "They're all gone?"

Her brother's smirked as Harry watched them all.

"So the question is, what do we do first?" Leon grinned, rubbing his hands together.

"I'm going to show Harry around, honestly I'm surprised you found the dinning hall." Skylar admitted.

"He didn't. I found him at the bottom of the stairs." Leon snickered.

"It's not my fault this place is ridiculously big." Harry rolled his eyes.

"It's big because there are stages when many people live here." Skylar confessed, "Before Nick ever went to Hogwarts Dad's mum lived here too. But she decided she wanted somewhere warmer and more… what was the word she used?"

"Scenic." Nick remembered.

"So she moved to Greece." Leon added. Harry gapped at them before he smirked and they all started laughing.

Skylar cleaned her plate of her breakfast and finished her pumpkin juice before she grinned to Harry. "Come on Harry I'll show you around." She grinned before getting up from her seat.

Harry hopped down from his and went to get his plate to clean it up, despite Skylar having left hers.

"Oh, Midori will do that for you Harry." Leon assured and the boy glanced at the three Rosenwalds before he left it. He looked slightly guilty.

"Don't worry, house elves love doing things for people. Serving people is their dearest wish and doing anything wrong causes them most anguish." Skylar admitted before she waved him to follow her through the small door and down a narrow hallway. It was colder in here than the rest of the house and the floor was covered in stone.

"But Dobby…" Harry began.

"Dobby was abused beyond reason." Skylar said angrily, "Him being free is better, but lots of House Elves get really displeased at the idea of being set free. You threaten an elf with clothes and they might just burst into tears at the idea."

She pushed open the door at the other end and they came into another much bigger hallway in which the kitchen was opposite, a nice large archway opening the room up.

At the end of the hallway was a large gleaming double door.

"Well, this is our kitchen." Skylar smiled as she walked into it. Dishes were washing up in the sink from where Midori had made breakfast. The elf herself was currently missing from the scene but Skylar knew she was upstairs making the beds.

She moved over to the fire place. "This is our floo network fire place, how we get to the Weasleys and everywhere else on the network." She said before tapping the pot of floo powder lightly. "And our powder which we're constantly giving to the Weasleys. At some point we should sneak over and re-top theirs." She grinned. "Can't stop us when they're not here and they'll never know!" She grinned.

Harry's attention however was not on the white bench tops or mahogany cupboards, nor the fireplace or the other doors, it was on the window.

The patio sat outside with its glass table and chairs, the many plants and gardens, a fountain in the distance outside the ballroom before the entire thing opened up, showing gardens and paths. The greenhouse in which Dominique kept her more dangerous plants was visible, while the trees began to rise up, hiding the giant chess set and the Quidditch pitch.

"We can go out there when we've gotten dressed." Skylar smiled before she tugged on Harry's pyjama sleeve.

They moved back past the corridor to the dinning room and past a drawing room, "This room holds our family tree." She said hitting the door as they walked past, before they were in the foyer again. Harry was looking at the walls which were covered in portraits.

"These are mostly my family." Skylar confessed before she stopped by a door. Skylar knocked on the double doors for the Ballroom which were currently closed.

"Ballroom slash party room, it's really just a big room with a fire place and grand chandelier. Leads out into the garden like the kitchen does." She said before she skipped onwards, Harry grinning after her.

She walked down the other end of the house, and here there were more pictures.

"This is the better collection of portraits down this side." She said as they moved slowly. Skylar watched Harry as he looked over portraits of her, her brothers, her parents, Midori, her grand parents, old headmasters, including Dumbledore, the occupants of the photos waving at them. Years and generations of Rosenwalds littered the walls.

They passed a few doorways in which the portraits surrounded. And then Harry stopped at a very large portrait. It was life size and contained four people, Dominique and Nathaniel, Nathaniel on the far left with his arms around Dominique's waist, and then beside Dominique was a beautiful women, at the same age, with bright green eyes and flaming red hair. She had behind her a man with brown eyes and very untidy black hair, glasses sitting on his nose. He had his arms around the red-haired girl's waist just like Nathaniel did around Dominique.

James and Lily Potter, around the age of eighteen, with Dominique and Nathaniel.

Skylar smiled at Harry as he stared at it for a long time. The four occupants smiled at him and waved, Lily and James Potter sharing a look before they gazed down at their son, though he had yet to be born at that point.

"There's this one too." Skylar whispered and she moved a few portraits over. This one wasn't as big, and the occupants were younger. It was Dominique and Lily, they were laughing together, holding hands as they stood in dress robes, both looking more beautiful than ever.

"Mum said this one was taken at one of Nathaniel's parents Christmas parties. They were in their fifth year." Skylar smiled. "Your Mum and dad did not like one another at that point… well your Mum didn't like your dad. But my dad and my Mum got along well and so when dad invited Mum, she asked for Lily to come too."

Harry smiled at the photo fondly.

"And then lastly," Skylar smiled.

This portrait had five boys in it. Harry looked at them and he noticed his father, looking astoundingly just like he did. Nathaniel was there too, handsome and with a smug look on his face, then there was three more. One very small boy with small watery eyes, beaming as if he was in the best place ever. Another very handsome boy with black wavy hair, longer than the others was grinning ever more handsomely than any of the others. And the last was very happy boy with shabby clothes, looking worse for wear, though it was hidden behind his happy demeanour. The five boys were also wearing dress robes, the picture clearly taken at the same time as Nathaniel stood in the centre.

"Who are the others?" Harry wondered.

Skylar glanced at him and lowered her gaze before she took a breath. "Well, there's my dad, your dad. The one on the far right is Petter Pettigrew, and one on the far left is Remus. He was here last night when you arrived remember. Remus Lupin, he's like my uncle."

Harry looked at her before he rose an eyebrow, he waited but she was just looking down the hallway. "Sky, you're forgetting one." He confessed and pointed to the handsome boy beside Nathaniel and Remus.

Skylar took a breath and she looked from Harry to the painting. "Well,… that's… that's Sirius." she confessed feeling defeated.

Harry was quiet and looked confused as the name rang a bell but it took him a minute to figure out where. He stared at the image before it came to him.

"Hang on!" He said rather loudly and he looked at Skylar. "Sirius? As in Sirius Black? The guy who murdered thirteen people with one curse and escaped from Azkaban?" He questioned.

Skylar bit her lip but there wasn't anything else she would say. "Yes."

"My dad knew him!?" Harry demanded.

"He didn't just know him." Skylar mumbled, "Your dad and Sirius were the best of friends."

Harry gapped and looked back at the photo. "My dad was friends with someone who was on Voldemort's side!?"

"They were only kids when they were in school Harry." Skylar said softly. "This was taken the same time as the one of our mother's was. They were only fifteen at this point."

"But they were friends?"

"Yes. Best friends. Your dad, my dad and Sirius were the smartest in school, apart from Mum and Lily of course. Remus was the role model. Sirius was apparently dashing, handsome and loyal. No one knows what happened, why he changed." She admitted.

"And your dad has to catch him?" Harry asked.

"Sirius is a dark wizard and Dad is the head of the dark wizard catchers. He's given the lead to one of his co-workers but… he still has to foresee it all."

"Isn't that hard, to put on of his old friends in that place, Azkaban?"

"Yes, it is." She nodded. She turned and pointed down the other end of the corridor.

"So that large door is for the library, Mum and dad's studies are right next door. Then a sitting room." She turned and pointed back towards the foyer. "Another sitting room and study."

She turned and skipped over to the library door and knocked on the library door. "Our library, wanna see?" She grinned and Harry sighed, walking over to her.

"It's gonna be huge isn't it." Harry said obviously. Skylar shrugged and opened the door for him to walk in.

Harry gapped at the extremely high ceiling and Skylar smiled.

"Yep." He nodded. "Stupidly big. How do you have so many books?" He demanded.

"Centuries of Rosenwalds collecting them." Skylar shrugged.

"Have you read them all?" Harry questioned.

"God no, I don't even think I've done half." She chuckled.

"What, even with almost twelve years of nothing else do to." Harry smirked.

"Coming from you." She snapped back.

"I went to muggle school." Harry shrugged.

"Boring." Skylar muttered before she stepped back to allow Harry to come back through the door. She closed it behind him and then moved back down the hallway.

"Hermione will have a field day when she sees it."

"Well, if she doesn't go away next summer she can come then." Skylar chuckled as the hallway widened out as the foyer came back into sight.

"Upstairs isn't as fun." She said as they moved around the stairs in the foyer, past the sitting room that led to the dining room, the front door, and climbed the stairs.

"You know that our bedrooms, bathrooms and a few studies are down there." She said pointing to the right. She turned to the left. "Mum and dad's room is right down the end, and there is another drawing room, sitting room and a room that the three of us abuse to our own devices." Skylar grinned. "The sitting room on the far side of the house past your room holds my great Aunt's ghost, unless you want to be bored about family trees, I suggest you avoid it." Skylar smirked. "I mean if you want to know more about your family feel free, I'm related to the Potters somehow." She rolled her eyes and Harry chuckled.

"So we're related?" he asked.

"Very, very distantly. I'm more related to Ron, he's related by Marriage though…" Skylar muttered thinking. "Actually it's probably through the Black family."

"You're related to Sirius Black!?" Harry asked.

"When will you learn?" Skylar sighed, "All pureblood are related. How do you think my dad knew Sirius, they're cousins… or second cousins…" she muttered thinking. Harry was gapping at her. "So, shall we get dressed and go outside? When was the last time you were on your broom?" She wondered grinning. Harry rose an eyebrow at her as she turned and disappeared into her bedroom.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Leon loved having Harry at the house with them, almost as much as Skylar did. But no one loved having him over than Dominique. After the first morning of his arrival where she'd had to go to work, she hadn't left again. She'd stocked the bedroom he was using with new clothes and had Midori throw out all the ones the Dursleys had given him, all of which were several sizes too big for the boy.

Leon loved having Harry around because he was such a good Quidditch flier. The four children spent hours outside the first few days after Harry's arrival speeding around the Rosenwalds mini Quidditch pitch playing the game. Nick and Leon both had a go on Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand, the fastest broom between them all, even with the Rosenwalds collection.

Unfortunately they couldn't always play around, Harry and Skylar had homework they needed to finish before the end of the holidays, and Nick had a few finishing touches to put on his.

It was on one of the glorious summer days that the two thirteen year olds were sitting outside doing their potions homework when Dominique walked out.

"Your father's been given the day off tomorrow, shall we all go to Diagon Alley and get your new books?" She offered.

"Tomorrow? But the Weasleys and Hermione aren't back yet." Skylar frowned.

"Will you go if I say you can go back when they go?" Dominique asked with an amused look.

Skylar tapped her chin with the feather of her quill thinking and turned to look at Harry. He simply shrugged at her.

"I don't mind going twice." He said.

"Perfect, now I just need to convince your brother's." She smiled before walking inside.

"How many new books do you need?" Skylar asked Harry.

Harry blinked before he smiled guiltily. "Actually I haven't looked at my book list." He confessed.

"You haven't?" Skylar asked chuckling slightly. "Why not?"

"I got distracted by the Hogsmeade form." He shrugged and then he sighed. "I didn't even get to have it signed."

"Get mum to sign it." Skylar shrugged. Harry looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "A parent of a guardian can sign the form Harry, Mum's your godmother and that makes her your legal guardian. She has the authority to sign it and it be viable." She reminded him.

"Fantastic." Harry grinned.

And so the following morning the four children dressed and after breakfast, moved down to the kitchen with Dominique before Nathaniel joined them all.

"It'll be nice to get out for a minute." Nathaniel smiled.

"Aren't you technically still working though?" Leon asked.

"How?" Harry asked.

"Protection detail." Nick rolled his eyes.

"What? They think I'm going to run away from you lot?" Harry asked confused.

"The Ministry is stupid." Skylar shrugged.

"Now, Harry, do you need to go to Gringotts?" Nathaniel wondered.

"Yes." Harry nodded.

"And you need your robes fixed, they were rather short last year, make sure you go and get them." Dominique said. Harry blushed slightly before he turned and left the kitchen.

"You are coming to protect him right?" Leon asked Nathaniel quietly.

"Unfortunately Fudge wont let us go unless Dominique and I both accompany Harry to Diagon Alley." Nathaniel rolled his eyes.

"Right because Black's going to be hiding in an alley were everyone can recognise him." Nick said sarcastically.

"Well, if you see a big black dog, don't be quiet." Dominique mumbled.

Harry returned with his robes at that moment and Dominique looked them all over. "Got your book lists?" Each one of them nodded.

"Right." Dominique nodded and she grabbed the pot of floo powder. "Remember how to do this Harry?" She asked.

"Yes." He muttered, though he didn't look at all happy about it as Nathaniel took a pinch and threw it into the blazing fire, which Midori had started for them.

"You don't like it do you?" Skylar smirked.

"No." He muttered.

"You wont like Apparation then either." Leon admitted as Nathaniel vanished in the green flames and Nick took his place.

"You want to go next?" Skylar offered to Harry.

"Might as well." He mumbled and he took a pinch. "Just remember that the last time I did this I ended up in the wrong place."

"Just be careful of the soot this time." Skylar warned. Harry nodded and he threw the pinch of powder into the fire. He took his glasses off and put them in his pocket.

"Good luck." Skylar smiled as he stepped in. He closed his eyes, tucked his elbows in, bent his knees and then spoke.

"Diagon Alley." He was gone in a whoosh of flames.

Skylar gave her Mum an unsure look as she took a pinch of floo powder and followed. She was pulled away from her mum and younger brother as she went spinning through fireplaces, the loud whooshing in her ears before she began to slow and she pulled herself out when she saw the alleyway. She stepped out to find Harry, Nick and Nathaniel to the side out of the way.

"You did it." She grinned at Harry as she shook soot from her face before her father tapped her with his wand and siphoned it all off.

Leon came spinning through the fireplace next, shaking his brown hair from his eyes. Lastly Dominique joined them.

"All right then, Gringotts?" She offered and the group all nodded.

They moved up the cobbled stone street and past all the stores until the snowy white building, towering over all the other shops, came into view. The bronze doors were opened by the parents before the silver were opened by two goblins who bowed them in. The marble hall as the same as always, lined with a tall bench all the way round as some goblins were weighing gems, other's coins and the Rosenwalds moved over to one with Harry.

"Ah, Miss Rosenwald." The goblin addressed Dominique as she stood at the front of them all, her husband with his arm around her shoulder.

"We need to enter the vault if you please." She smiled.

"As you wish." The goblin nodded.

"Also, Harry needs to enter his vault." She said turning to the boy and he smiled slightly at the Goblin.

"Keys?" He questioned. Harry reached into his pocket and handed it to the goblin. They inspected it and then nodded. Dominique handed over their's as well and the Goblin called for another. Together they all were led behind the counter and through one of the many doors to the stone hallways and tunnels.

"Do we all need to go together?" Nathaniel wondered.

"We should split up?" Nick asked confused.

"Why not? Dom, you go with Nick and Leon to our vault, it is harder to get to of course. Sky, Harry and I can go to Harry's vault." Nathaniel decided and he turned to the Goblin. "Two carts please." The goblins whistled and two came zipping towards them.

"All right, we'll see you back outside then, no doubt you'll get back out before us." Dominique believed and Nathaniel nodded.

Dominique, Nick and Leon all climbed into the first cart with the first goblin and it went shooting off in a blur.

"Why will they take longer?" Harry wondered.

"Oh our vault's right down the bottom, it's one of the high security vaults and is honestly a pain to get into." Skylar admitted. "A down side to being an old family."

Nathaniel led the way into the cart, Skylar and Harry following as the Goblin took the seat at the front.

And they were off, hurtled through a maze of twisting passages, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left. They lost count quickly. The cold air rushed past them as they plunged deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.

Finally the cart came to a stop and the three of them climbed out. The goblin moved to the door and a heap of green smoke issued out of the door. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.

Harry moved inside with a bag in his hand and collected a large sum before he came back out and climbed back into the cart with Skylar and Nathaniel.

"That was quick." Skylar muttered. "I bet Mum, Leo and Nick aren't even halfway there."

"Don't be silly Skylar." Nathaniel chuckled.

"What? Our vault's so far down I'm surprised it's not sitting on top of lava." She shrugged as Harry chuckled.

They climbed into the cart and it began to whisk back up towards the bank and Diagon Alley. Dominique was right about Harry's vault being quicker to get to, the three were outside and had to wait a bit before Dominique and her two sons joined them.

"So, we need to go to Flourish and Blotts, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions…" She listed.

"I need to go to the Apothecary, I'm getting low on potions ingredients." Skylar admitted.

"Me too." Harry nodded. "Though I wish I didn't have to do the subject." He added.

He seemed to have been expecting to be scolded but Nathaniel burst out laughing.

"Snape does have that effect."

Harry smirked at him.

"Well, I need more ingredients as well." Nick nodded.

"I need more food for Rey." Leon piped up. "And I want to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies."

"You always want to go there." Skylar rolled her eyes.

"Well, let's start with Madam Malkin's." Dominique decided.

Harry didn't get his robes adjusted, he had to buy brand new ones, the others were just too short. They went to the Apothecary and replenished their potion ingredients. Harry seemed to have to exercise a lot of restraint, he wanted to buying a handsome set of solid gold Gobstones and then was sorely tempted too by the perfect, moving model of the galaxy in a large glass ball, which would have meant he never had to take another Astronomy lesson.

"You can't blow it all at once," Nathaniel said laughing. "You need the money to last the next five years at least before you start working."

"I think he can treat himself here or there." Dominique smiled. "We can always help if something happens."

"What like spending all his money at once because he feels like it?" Nick asked as Harry was snickering with Skylar.

"Dominique, he needs to be responsible. Giving him an alternative wont do that." Nathaniel agreed.

"Sorry if I want to look after my Godson." Dominique shrugged with no shame.

"Can we go to Quality Quidditch Supplies now?" Leon wondered.

"Actually I'd like to got too." Harry confessed,

"Oh you're just as bad as Ron." Skylar groaned and her family laughed at her.

They all agreed to go to the store but they found it already crowded.

"What's going on?" Skylar wondered.

Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, Harry and the Rosenwalds edged their way inside and the four children squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until they glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom.

"Woah!" Leon gasped, his eyes widening at the sight.

"Just come out — prototype —" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.

"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than Leon, who was swinging off his father's arm.

"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favourites for the World Cup!"

A large witch in front of Harry moved, and the four squeezed closer together to be able to read the sign next to the broom:

THE FIREBOLT

THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN-SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST.

"Dad! Dad!" Leon started shouting and he moved to find his father.

"Leon you can't have one!" Skylar shouted back after him, many of the crowd looking at her. Leon didn't respond, nor did he bother to care, which Skylar knew well. She sighed and turned back to the Firebolt.

"Gosh it is lovely though. And 150 km in ten-seconds."

"Wow Sky, are you appreciating a broom?" Harry questioned.

"I can do so thank you very much." She said, her hands on her hips. Nick and Harry laughed at her before they turned to leave the shop. Dominique, Nathaniel and Leon were outside as Leon tried to persuade his father to buy him the broom.

"You have no use for it Leon, when would you use it?" Dominique sighed.

"When wouldn't I use it?" Leon demanded.

"Yeah, you'd never get him off it honestly." Nick agreed. "Now can we go to Flourish and Blotts, I want to see what this monster book is."

"Monster book?" Harry asked.

"On our list, for Care of Magical Creatures. I still can't believe you didn't bother to look at the list." Skylar admitted as they walked down the lane and towards the book shop.

The shop had changed slightly, the last time they'd been in the store it had been set up for a book signing by Gilderoy Lockhart, last year's Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Now however, instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of _The Monster Book of Monsters. _Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.

"Wow…" Leon muttered.

"Looks like a monster book to me." Nick confessed.

"Hang on I've got one of those already." Harry admitted and he pulled out his book list.

"What do you mean you've got one? How?" Skylar questioned.

"Hagrid sent it to me, said it'd be useful. I was scared he had some new monster baby to look after."

"Hagrid sent you the text book for Care of Magical Creatures?" Skylar repeated and Harry nodded.

Skylar turned to Nick and he was smirking.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I'm thinking Remus should have told us such news!" She said with a huff.

"Come on then." Dominique said and they walked into the store. The manager came hurrying toward them instantly.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Yes," said Harry, "I need —"

"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing Harry aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the _Monster Books' _cage.

"Hang on," said Harry quickly, "I've already got one of those."

"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning —"

A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the _Monster Books _had seized a third and were pulling it apart.

"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the _Invisible Book of Invisibility _— cost a fortune, and we never found them…"

"Well,… um sir…" Skylar began guiltily. "My bother and I both need one. Can we have two?" she asked smiling innocently.

The manager's face dropped.

"Two!?"

Nick and Skylar both shrugged innocently.

As bad as the family felt for the man as he had to wrestle two of the bitting books from the cage and strap them to stop them flapping around and getting anywhere, it was a very amusing show. Nick had quite the time trying not to laugh.

"Never again." The manager repeated as he handed Skylar and Nick one each.

"Feel free to blame Hagrid at Hogwarts." Skylar said before chuckling.

"Well,… is there anything else I can help you with?" he asked as he took a few deep breaths.

"Yes," said Harry, looking down his booklist, "I need _Unfogging the Future _by Cassandra Vablatsky."

"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading Harry and the Rosenwalds into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling. A small table was stacked with volumes such as _Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks _and _Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul. _

"Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black-bound book. "_Unfogging the Future. _Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods — palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails —"

But Harry wasn't listening. His eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table: Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming.

"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what Harry was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death."

But Harry continued to stare at the front cover of the book; it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes.

Skylar was watching him and her eyes widened before she turned to her father. He had a concerned look on his face also and he shared it with Dominique.

"Um, I need _Advanced Rune Translation, Ancient Runes Made Easy, Magical Hieroglyphs and Logogram_s, a_ Rune Dictionary_ and _Spellman's Syllabary_ by Spellman." Skylar said changing the topic and gaining Harry's attention, taking it away from the book. The manager passed Harry _Unfogging the Future_.

"Doing Ancient Runes little lady, you're in for a handful with that one." He said and he moved to another section of the store. They watched him pull the five books off the shelves and pile them up for Skylar to hold.

"Here, Sky." Nathaniel took the books from her.

"Anything else?" He said.

"Yes," said Harry, consulting his booklist. "Er — I need _Intermediate Transfiguration _and _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three._"

"Times two." Skylar added.

"And I need Grade four." Nick added.

"Going to let Ginny have my copy of grade two and get your own or…?" Skylar asked Leon.

"And Grade Two." Leon added quickly as the man moved to collect the five more books.

Dominique helped the children hold their books as Nick rattled off the new books he needed, which luckily wasn't many and Leon got entirely new copies of those on his list.

"Do you do this every year?" Harry asked Skylar. "Give Ginny your old books."

"This is only the second year we've done it, but yes, I'm quite happy to do so. They wont let us buy them for them so we give them our current copies." She shrugged.

"You do remember the prize money right?" Harry said.

"Yeah but you don't want to blow it all at once." Skylar said obviously.

"Well, have we got everything then?" Dominique asked, "Shall we stop for an ice cream before heading home?"

All four children agreed eagerly and Dominique led the way.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

"You going to tell me about it yet?" Skylar asked.

"Tell you what?" Harry questioned. The two were sitting in her bedroom playing exploding snap together.

"About the black dog?" She said obviously as she carefully put a card down on the pile and they both paused for a moment. When it didn't explode, Harry looked up at her. His expression lost the surprised look very quickly and looked unsurely.

"It's nothing." He decided.

"I can see your thoughts Harry." She said without having to look at him. "It is not, you basically zoned out upon seeing that omen on the cover of that book. Why'd it get your attention like that?"

"Well, I just thought it was coincidental. I saw a dog in Surrey the night I left the Dursleys." He said.

Skylar stopped and stared at the pile as Harry was now adding a card carefully. She watched him for a moment. He saw a dog?

"What kind of dog?" Skylar questioned. She tried to keep herself sounding curious and keep the worry from her voice.

"I don't know for sure, it was dark and I couldn't see much. It was down an alleyway but I'm very sure it was a rather large black dog. Probably just a stray. It was gone when the Knight Bus turned up."

"You think it was a death omen?" Skylar asked.

"It wasn't a death omen." Harry rolled his eyes.

"But the book got you thinking that it might have been a death omen?" Skylar asked.

Harry didn't answer for a minute. "It couldn't have been a death omen, I was just panicking."

"A black dog…" Skylar muttered before she put another card on the pile. "You know, you heard what the store man said, once you know what they are you see them everywhere." She shrugged as Harry put a card down.

"Yeah… like I said, it wasn't an omen."

"I think Omens are just something someone made up to scare others." Skylar shrugged. "I've never heard of one working before. Especially not a death omen." She confessed before putting a card down and the entire pile of cards smoked before exploding between them.

Harry and Skylar jumped to their feet in surprise with a cry before the pile had calmed down and stopped smoking. The two children stared at it and looked up at one another before they started laughing and the black dog was driven from both their minds.

They cleaned up the pile in front of them after finally having managed to stop laughing.

"By the way, have you heard from Ron and Hermione?" Harry said.

"Yes, I sent them letters the day before your birthday and they responded." Skylar nodded.

"About Diagon Alley?"

Skylar nodded. "They said they'd be there in the last week but didn't tell me what day. I sent Cicil to Ron to find out more details, they should be back home by now." Skylar admitted.

"Why don't we go over and find out?" Harry offered. "Isn't that what you always do?"

"Yeah but it'd be weird if we go and they're not home and imagine if they'd only just gotten home, they'd be unpacking and it would be a mess. Sounds awful." She said. "I'd rather wait for a response before I bother them."

"Aren't you thoughtful." Harry smirked.

"I always am, thank you!"

The two had spent most of the last of their holidays getting their homework finished, playing Quidditch and enjoying the rays of the sun. Harry had spent time with Dominique asking her all sorts of questions about her garden and the weird plants there, as well as about her job as an Auror. Nathaniel wasn't home as often and so it was hard to ask him, not that Harry hadn't tried. He had also brought up Sirius Black, which had caused a rather awkward conversation, especially when Skylar had a mental argument with her father about telling Harry the truth, only to be completely shot down and ended up storming out of the room.

Leon looked worried, Nick ignored the entire thing and Dominique had to explain to Harry that they'd had an argument using their Legilimency gift, as the boy was very confused.

Skylar finally got a letter back from Ron, which came at breakfast.

"About time." Skylar said as Midori bopped away and Skylar unfolded the letter.

_Dear Skylar and Harry,_

_Dad told me what happened with your aunt. I can't believe I had to miss that. Fred and George also want a complete recap about the incident. That's brilliant! (Naturally Hermione doesn't think so.)_

_We got home yesterday, only to find Cicil waiting for us patiently. You've got a knack for timing Sky, I'll give you that. _

_We'll all be going to Diagon Alley on the 30th and we all are staying at the Leaky Cauldron the night before so we can get to Kings Cross earlier and easier. Dad thinks its necessary given what happened last year… _

Everyone at the table started laughing, including Dominique who chuckled. The year previously, a house elf named Dobby was trying to stop Harry from going to school and so he blocked the barrier leading to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. As a result Harry and Ron missed the train to Hogwarts and took Mr. Weasleys Ford Anglia all the way north. Needless to say it hadn't been the best of ideas.

_You should all come and stay as well, I've spoke to Hermione and her parents agreed to let her get a room also. We can all go to Kings Cross together that way. Also we can get all our things for school. _

"Didn't you tell them we'd already been?" Leon asked.

"Don't be silly." Skylar confessed before she continued reading.

_Hope you and Harry aren't having too much fun without me. Mum's all a diss at the moment trying to get reorganised now we are back home. She spent the entire trip home worrying about how dusty the house is going to be and how she's going to have to go on a mad cleaning spree. It was driving us all nuts but she returned and was surprised it was rather clean. Did you do that? If you did, I really owe you, she was going to get us all to help her out. _

_Anyway, let me know about the 30th, though I know you'll stay too, and I'll see you there. _

_Ron. _

Skylar looked up at her parents. "So, we're staying?" She grinned.

Nathaniel chuckled. "Well, I don't see why not, it seems Arthur's already made the necessary arrangements and it will be better than driving to Kings Cross from here." He admitted.

"Yes!" Harry and Skylar shared a high five. "Oh my god, we have to pack!" Skylar realised. "We're going back to school this week!" She shouted as she jumped up from her seat and went running from the room, her plate half empty.

"Don't you want to finish your breakfast?" Dominique called back.

"This is more important." Skylar's shouts came from the stairs and everyone chuckled.

"She does have a point though, you'd all better check you've all got everything, being at the Leaky Cauldron the last night means you can get anything more if you need it." Nathaniel confessed. "I'll go and book you some rooms. Boys, you'll be sharing."

"Sky doesn't have to share does she?" Leon said annoyed.

"Yes, she'll be sharing with Ginny likely." Dominique confessed.

"And maybe even Hermione too." Harry added.

"Shall I book you a room to Harry?" Nathaniel asked.

"Can you?" He asked and Nathaniel nodded.

"You'd better get packing then, I know you two have your things scattered all over the place." Dominique said looking at her sons.

"We need to get our broomsticks from the shed." Leon remembered and all three boys nodded in agreement.

The four children spent the day packing up their trunks for school, locating all their books, their robes, their clothes, their homework and any extras they required from around the house. Harry was the first one done, to no one's surprise, having only been in the house for three weeks his things were mostly confined to his room. Some of his books had been moved to the study he and Skylar had been using, and his broom had joined the others in the shed at the Quidditch pitch but that was all he had to retrieve.

Skylar was next done, being the most organised out of her brothers and her trunk was also the neatest.

"How do you get it so organised?" Harry asked as he'd come to hep her.

"It's like a jigsaw puzzle." She shrugged in return. "Come on, Leon will have everything all over the place, he'll need our help the most."

And she was right. Leon had books all over the house, his robes had been buried into his closet accidentally, his potions ingredients were the easiest things to find having not left the trunk while his scales he'd been playing with earlier in the summer.

"It was interesting to see what weighed against what." He shrugged.

Though Leon was now allowed a proper broom for Hogwarts, being now a second year, he didn't have one of his own and spent most of the day contemplating on whether to take Nick's old one or not.

"It can't hurt to take it, there are holidays when you can have some fun." Nick shrugged.

"But it's not mine, it's not the same." Leon sighed.

In the end he ended up taking it anyway.

"You got all your new things in there as well?" Dominique double checked.

"They were the easier things to find." Leon admitted. He hadn't had them long enough to spread too far like everything else.

The three children all helped to close Leon's trunk, Nick, Skylar and Harry sitting on it as Leon locked the clasp.

"I don't see why your trunk is so full, are you taking your whole bedroom?" Nick questioned as he and the two thirteen year olds got up.

"So funny." Leon mumbled.

There was a knock on the door and they all looked up to see Dominique, who smiled at them.

"There's something I've been meaning to do which is much over due, will you four come down to the dining room."

Confused and curious the three Rosenwalds and Harry followed the women down to the dining room.

All them blinked in surprise. On the table was a glorious birthday cake with thirteen candles on it.

"This is the only time we've been able to celebrate Harry's birthday." Dominique sighed, "I wanted to do it the second he turned up here but work got in the way." They all looked up at her as she rolled her eyes. Skylar's surprise turned into a grin and she looked at Harry.

"Happy late birthday!" She cheered and everyone chuckled.

"You didn't buy him those gold gobstones as a late present too did you?" Nick said, his arms crossed.

"Considered it." Dominique nodded earning another laugh. "Come on then." And she placed her hands on the black-haired boy's shoulders, steering him to the chair in front of the cake.

Dominique flicked her wand and streamers erupted in the air as Midori brought sparklers to light the cake with as well as plates.

"This is how it should be every year." Skylar nodded to Harry as she sat beside him. "Cake, surrounded by people who love you. There would be presents as well, but you already got them." Skylar shrugged.

"Well, I haven't been able to celebrate a single one of Harry's birthdays, late or not, I am making up for it." Dominique smiled.

Harry was given the knife to cut the cake first and Midori then distributed the pieces amongst all the children.

"It's not late, we're celebrating the end of the holidays in conjunction with Harry's birthday." Nick shrugged, earning a chuckle from his mother.

"Quite right." She nodded. "A last hurrah. By the way, I hope you all know we're dropping you off in the morning, you all need to be up and ready in time."

"How we getting there? Floo network?" Leon wondered.

"Yes, and your father will send your trunks separately ahead of us so that Tom can organise them." Dominique nodded.

"This is going to be so exciting, we've never stayed at the Leaky Cauldron before, and all of us are going to be there." Skylar grinned. "I want to hear all about Egypt and France from Ron and Hermione."

"They're both very cultural, lots of old curses and spells in Egypt." Dominique confused.

"Mum! Don't ruin it." Skylar snapped and her mother chuckled.

"All right."

"Happy Birthday Harry." Nick grinned.

"Yeah, happy thirteenth." Leon nodded and Harry grinned at them all.

"Thanks."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

All the children slept in the following morning and Dominique had to run around waking them all up. Luckily they had all packed the day before, allowing Midori to bring the trunks all down stairs for Nathaniel to tap with his wand and send them each to the Leaky Cauldron.

Meridiem was placed in her cat cage and placed in the kitchen while Leon and Nick had to venture outside to find Reylon and Mitchum. Both birds were put into their cages and placed on the bench with Meridiem. Hedwig was already in her cage and waiting for Harry to close the door on her, for Midori to take her down with the others.

The four children dressed in a daze before going downstairs for breakfast. The food helped wake them all up before Dominique ushered them all to the kitchen. Each reached for their respected animal and moved to stand before the grand fireplace.

"Right, Leon first, straight into the Leaky Cauldron, we need to get you signed in." Dominique said as Nathaniel collected the pot of floo powder and Midori lit the fire.

Leon took his pinch and sprinkled it into the fire, stepped in with his owl cage, and called 'Leaky Cauldron' out before he was whisked away in a flurry of flames. Skylar followed him in the same manner, Meridiem under one arm, followed by Nick with Mitchum and then Harry with Hedwig, Dominique taking up the rear. She kissed her husband who had to go to work before stepping into the fire.

"Leaky Cauldron."

It was still early and the Pub or Alley was yet to fill up. Leon, Skylar, Nick and Harry all stood waiting for Dominique, who checked they were all there before leading the way into the pub's counter.

It was as lighter than usual as the day began and Tom the inn-keeper came bustling towards them.

"Ah, Mrs. Rosenwald."

"Morning Tom, Nathaniel called and booked five rooms for us?" She said.

"Ah yes, yes." Tom nodded and he turned around. "Right this way."

They followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase and down a hallway. They stopped at a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for them.

"One." He said.

Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, and a cheerfully crackling fire.

"Harry." Dominique said.

Skylar was given number thirteen, Nick and Leon fifteen, while Dominique and Nathaniel had twenty. Each went into their rooms where their trunks were placed and Skylar pulled out her pyjamas to place on her bed, opened Meridiem's cat cage for the animal to slink out and jump onto the bed, curling up happily, before Skylar walked back out. Nick and Leon were in the corridor before they went to Harry's room. He was opening Hedwig's cage for her before he moved to the three by the door.

"Hopefully the Weasleys aren't far off." Skylar smiled.

"Well, they'll have to get all their books and supplies for school." They turned to see Dominique behind them.

"Which means they'll be here before all the shops close at the least." Nick grinned.

"What should we do until then?" Leon wondered.

They all shared a look before the three children looked at Harry.

Leon beamed. "Yes! Let's go to Quality Quidditch Supplies."

"You lot just want to see the broom." Skylar smirked.

"And you don't? It's a shoe in for the World Cup Sky, even you can't deny your excitement for that." Nick smirked at his sister.

"Well." She shrugged.

"Stay in Diagon Alley, none of you are to go back into the Muggle world." Dominique ordered and the four children all looked up at her. She gave her children all a stern look and they all sighed. Of course, Sirius Black was in the muggle world, Harry wasn't allowed to go near there.

"Come on then." Nick grinned, breaking the sudden tension, and he was first to head back down the stairs and into the pub.

The four children headed out into the small courtyard behind the pub and Nick pulled his wand out from his pocket. He tapped the third brick above the dustbin and the bricks began to wriggle. The entire wall before them moved and rearranged until it opened up and, before them, was the cobblestone path of Diagon Alley.

They moved off up the street until they got to Quality Quidditch Supplies. Leon was first in the door and Skylar was last. It wasn't nearly as crowded in here as it was the last time they had all come to Diagon Alley, but there was still a few people crowded around the new Firebolt.

"It's just so…" Leon sighed.

"Spectacular?" Skylar offered.

"Oh I want one!" Leon muttered.

"I don't think I've ever wanted something so badly before." Harry confessed, "Too bad my Nimbus Two Thousand is so perfect." He said with a half grin.

"You'll want to upgrade one day." Nick assured him. "I'm on my second broom now."

"And he's not even on the team at school." Skylar reminded Harry. "Your's gets a lot more wear."

Harry was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team at Hogwarts, and held the position of Seeker. He was an excellent flier and it was the one thing at the school that had come to him instantly.

"You're Nimbus is pretty good." Leon sighed.

"If you're not careful my mum'll buy you one regardless." Skylar whispered to Harry and he smirked. "I think she likes that she can spoil you, despite not being her child."

"It's not like she spoils us." Nick rolled his eyes.

"Depends how you count 'spoil'. If I want something mum'll give it for my birthday or Christmas."

"It's a bit different though." Leon confessed. Skylar rose an eyebrow at her brothers before she rolled her eyes.

"If you say so. Now can we think about lunch? I'm kinda hungry." She admitted.

"You think Mum'll want us to go back for lunch?" Leon asked.

"I don't think so, she didn't say anything about that before we left." Nick confessed. "There's got to be all sorts of places around, let's take a look.

So the three ventured out of the Quidditch shop and down the street. They wondered for a while, looking at every shop on the block, one's they'd never taken much notice of before and ventured into ones they'd never yet had the chance to investigate.

They were venturing down the street trying to agree on something for lunch when Harry and Skylar stopped, their names having being called.

"Sky! Skylar!"

"Harry! HARRY!"

Turning around they all saw Ron and Hermione sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Ron was looking incredibly freckly and Hermione very brown, both were waving frantically at them.

"Ron! Hermione!" Skylar called and she ran towards the table they were at, flinging her arms around Ron's neck. "It was so boring without you!" She said pulling away. "You are never allowed to go on Holiday again."

"You had Harry for the holidays." He rolled his eyes as Nick and Leon joined them.

"Three weeks out of five." She argued.

"Still majority." Ron said and Skylar scowled at him before she turned to hug Hermione. "Hey Leo." Ron grinned.

"How was Egypt!?" Leon demanded grinning.

"Hot." Ron nodded, earning a chuckle as Skylar turned to Hermione

"And how was France?"

"Oh it was fascinating. So much interesting local history of witchcraft." She smiled.

"Harry said you rewrote your entire History of Magic Essay." Skylar confessed.

"There was just so much to write about." Hermione said grinning and Skylar chuckled at her.

"Hey Ron, where's everyone else? We haven't run into any of them?" Nick confessed.

"The twins are with mum, she had a lot to do and commandeered them as slaves." Ron confessed, earning a snicker from the two Rosenwald boys. "I think Percy and Ginny are with them too, if not we're all going back to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. Where're you parents?"

"Dad's at work but will be here this evening and Mum was in the Leaky Cauldron but wouldn't be surprised if she went back to the Ministry also." Skylar admitted.

"So you've been here by yourself?" Hermione asked.

"Only for a few hours, we left mum at the pub earlier." Nick shrugged.

"Almost instantly after we got here." Leon nodded.

"Well, we were starting to worry we wouldn't see you." Ron said to them all, looking at Hermione. "We knew you were here somewhere. We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and —"

"Sky and I got all our school stuff last week," Harry explained.

"We didn't know when you'd be getting back to the country exactly, so we went without you." Skylar shrugged. "Just like we did all our homework together. Harry's a much better study partner than you Ron. Thank god he came over." She chuckled.

Hermione's expression changed at the reminder and she turned to the black-haired boy. "Did you _really _blow up your aunt, Harry?" She said in a very serious voice.

"I didn't mean to," said Harry while Ron, Nick and Leon all roared with laughter. "I just — lost control."

"It's not funny," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," admitted Harry.

"Come on, am I the only know who knew he'd be let off?" Skylar questioned.

"You didn't think he'd be expelled?" Hermione asked surprised.

"Of course not, it was an accident." Skylar confessed. "They can't expel you for something you can't control, I mean really."

"Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." Harry looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to _me _if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening."

"Everyone's staying then?" Skylar asked, "My parents are too."

"Yeah mum and dad are staying to escort us tomorrow. We can call go to King's Cross together."

Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"Excellent!" said Harry happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this," said Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books —" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those _Monster Books, _eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."

"Yeah, same with us." Skylar chuckled.

"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies —"

Leon and Nick were gapping at the girl as she listed her subjects.

"Why's she taking on so much work?" Leon whispered to Skylar.

"Cause she's Hermione." Skylar shrugged.

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry, while Ron sniggered.

"I asked her that last year before she made the choice remember. She's screwed." Skylar shrugged.

Hermione ignored them. "I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice _book_?" said Ron innocently.

"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol —"

"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."

Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

"Oh that's where I got Meridiem from." Skylar grinned. "And you're not the only one without an owl Hermione, it's not the end of the world." She told her.

"Yes, but you live in a Wizarding house where there's four others." Hermione reminded her

"True." Skylar nodded.

"Well, I'm going to go and see if I can find the twins." Nick said.

"They'll probably be in the joke shop." Skylar said pointing.

"Most likely." Nick chuckled before he waved at them and left.

"Coming with us Leon?" Skylar asked him.

"Yeah, I want to talk to Ron about Egypt! Oh and did you see the new boom in Quality Quidditch Supplies?" he asked and began yapping away as Hermione and Ron paid for their ice creams and they crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

The Menagerie hadn't changed much from when the Rosenwalds had been in two summers ago, the walls were still hidden by cages, the room was still smelly and noisy as the occupants of the cages squeaked, squawked, jabbered or hissed.

The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages, while Skylar moved over to the cage that had once held her kitten and Leon was gazing around the shelves in interest.

The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.

"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-colour ever since I brought him back from Egypt." Leon moved over with Ron to see the old creature in interest.

"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.

Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better look.

Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was second-hand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.

"Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"

"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.

"Er —" Ron glanced at Leon who looked just as confused. The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers' tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.

"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.

"He's always been kind of grey old, and he always sleeps." Leon nodded thinking.

"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these —"

She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. Ron muttered, "Show-offs."

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.

"Okay," said Ron. "How much — OUCH!"

Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers. Leon had jumped backwards in surprise as everyone was watching the orange animal in surprise.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Leon and Harry quickly followed.

"What on earth…" Skylar said, blinking in surprise of what had just happened. The women behind the counter had made a beeline for the door, closing it before the orange animal could follow the two boys.

Hermione and Skylar watched surprised as the women picked up the large orange animal to reveal a cat. He was a large ginger, with thick and fluffy fur, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall.

"Wow." Hermione smiled at it.

"No Crookshanks! For God's sake." The women whispered as she moved to put the cat in a cage.

"Is he a lot of trouble?" Skylar wondered.

"Isn't he just, quite the trouble maker, very independent, does what he wants when he wants. Swipes at my customers quite often as if it was a game." She sighed.

"How long has he been here?" Hermione questioned as she watched the cat through the bars and poked her fingers in. Crookshanks purred and rubbed his head up against her fingers.

"I've lost count honestly. He's been here for quite a while. I've tried selling him off but no one wants him."

"But why not, he's gorgeous." Hermione said as she beamed at the cat. The witch looked surprised and Skylar chuckled.

"Hermione, were you not here for an owl?" She asked.

"Who needs an owl, you and Ron send me plenty and the school has some I can borrow." Hermione said before she looked at the store attendant. "How much for, Crookshanks, was it?"

"Yes…" The witch was looking surprised but quite happy as well. She negotiated with Hermione before the girl bought the small tiger. Crookshanks was released from the cage and Hermione picked him up, where he purred very happily in her arms.

"Oh and your friend forgot this…" The witch said, the red bottle of rat tonic in her hands.

"I got it." Skylar smiled and she payed for the tonic as Hermione pet the small tiger. She smiled at them as she pocketed the tonic. "You're going to need a carrier as well for him." Skylar said to the bushy-haired girl.

"That's all right." Hermione nodded and she bought one with the left over galleons she had. Skylar took the cat-carrier bag while Hermione had her arms clamped tightly around Crookshanks. Skylar opened the door for her and they walked out just as Harry, Leon and Ron came back to the shop.

"You _bought _that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.

"He's _gorgeous, _isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.

"But he's got such a squashed face?" Leon frowned in confusion, leaning down to look at the animal, earning a snicker from the two boys and Skylar. Hermione was too busy gushing over Crookshanks however to care.

Skylar looked at Harry and Ron, Ron looked almost outrageous while Harry was looking at the cat, trying to figure out how Hermione thought the squashed face was so appealing.

With Scabbers now out of sight though, Crookshanks was quite content, purring away within Hermione's arms.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.

"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at a lump in his chest pocket, apparently the rat in hiding. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione.

"You forgot to pay for it too." Skylar added as she pulled it from her pocket.

"You paid for it?" Leon asked his sister. She just shrugged in response.

"And stop _worrying, _Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem?"

"Scabbers has never had a problem with Meridiem, and they've been in the same compartment to and from Hogwarts how many times?" Skylar reminded Ron. "Honestly, Crookshanks and Meridiem are the issue, cat's are rather territorial after all."

"They're probably going to hiss and spit at each other and keep you all up for ages." Leon muttered and Skylar sighed. Naturally she hadn't thought of that till now.

Hermione was still gushing over her new pet. "Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."

"I wonder why," said Ron sarcastically as they set off toward the Leaky Cauldron. Opening the door, they found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the _Daily Prophet. _

"Harry!" He said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," said Harry as he, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with all their shopping, the two Rosenwalds in tow.

"Skylar, Leon, have a good holiday?"

"Well, it wasn't Egypt but," Skylar said and Mr. Weasley chuckled.

"You lot stayed out of trouble then." He said to her, Leon and Harry

"We tried, it's a lot easier with your parents working all the time."

"They left you home alone?" Hermione asked surprised.

"Only at the end." Skylar shrugged, "Remus was staying with us before Harry came but he had stuff to do. Besides, my house has all sorts of protective enchantments on it, comes with being an old building." She shrugged as Mr. Weasley put down his paper. Sirius Black's face was on the cover as it had been on every_ Daily Prophet_ since he'd escaped.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" Harry asked.

"No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave.

Skylar frowned as she glanced at Harry, looking at her brother who shook his head at her.

"They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far. Nathaniel's being worked around the clock."

"The first few weeks mum and dad were only home for an hour or two at a time." Skylar nodded.

"His department is in charge." Arthur nodded.

"He's coming here tonight though." Skylar assured.

"Yes, well, he needs to come with us tomorrow." Arthur nodded.

Skylar glanced at Harry as Ron was looking at Sirius Black's picture.

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money —"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."

At that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, Nick, who'd clearly found them; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasleys' youngest child and only girl, Ginny.

"Ginny!" Skylar shouted, surprising everyone in the pub as she ran at her girl and wrapped her in a hug. "I missed you so much! You're my only escape from all these boys! Never leave again!"

Ginny was laughing at the girl as she hugged her back. "I missed you too, Sky."

Percy held out his hand solemnly to Harry as though he and Harry had never met and said, "Harry. How nice to see you."

"Hello, Percy," said Harry, trying not to laugh.

"I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor. Nick and Leon were bursting with laughter as Skylar tired very hard not too and Ginny was rolling her eyes.

"Very well, thanks —"

"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply _splendid _to see you, old boy —"

"Marvellous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."

Percy scowled as the Rosenwalds were snickering.

"That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Mum!" said Fred as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand too. "How really corking to see you —"

"I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, Harry, dear. Skylar, Leon, I hope your holidays were well. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" She said, swelling with pride.

"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.

"I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."

"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."

"Or," Nick said, "it would be just the ticket we needed." He grinned. The Weasley twins shared a look, contemplating the idea.

"If any of them were to become Prefects it'd be Nick." Leon thought.

"I think the school was too worried he was too like Dad. Dad never got the Prefects badge, that went to Remus." Skylar nodded as Leon snickered and Nick shrugged as Ginny giggled.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner…"

He disappeared and George heaved a sigh. "We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Harry and the Rosenwalds. "But Mum spotted us."

"Loosing your game, boys." Skylar shook her head and they nodded with disappointed looks on their faces.

At that point the back door to Diagon Alley opened and Nathaniel and Dominique walked into the room. Skylar watched them with interest, wondering if Remus was going to join them as well, but was disappointed when the door closed and the man didn't follow. At least she'd see him tomorrow.

"Oh Dom," Mrs. Weasley smiled and moved to greet her.

"Molly, I do hope you enjoyed yourself in Egypt." Dominique responded as they kissed each other's cheeks.

"Arthur, hanging in there?" Nathaniel asked with a sigh.

"I should be asking you that, your departments in charge." Mr. Weasley returned.

"Just finished organising the cars for tomorrow." Nathaniel nodded.

Skylar and Leon were the only two who'd been listening and they shared a curious gaze. Before they could question it however, Mrs. Weasley was ordering everyone up to their rooms to add their new things to their trunks for tomorrow.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put four tables together in the parlour, and the five Rosenwalds, seven Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley. Everyone looked up at him.

"Why?" said Percy curiously.

"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them —"

"— for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.

Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley,

"There's ten of you that need to get to the train and fourteen of us will be parading to the station remember." Dominique added.

"So I arranged for some transportation." Nathaniel nodded.

Skylar, Leon and Nick were all staring at their parents as they'd interrupted Mr. Weasley, who's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure.

Skylar leaned towards Nick beside her. "It's cause of…" she broke off but Nick was looking down at her and he nodded.

"Likely, they think he's after him and they want to protect him." He agreed. Skylar sighed. How could they expect to keep this a secret if they keep him under a microscope?

"Good thing, too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realise how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground… You are all packed, aren't you?"

"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.

After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to Harry. Skylar opposite the two Weasleys, her room had been intended for her and Ginny, however her father had forgotten to mention that to Mr. Weasley, who'd booked the rooms for all his family, so she had it to herself instead.

She was rustling through her trunk, double checking she had everything as Ron and Percy's voices filled the hallway from their room across the hall, the door standing ajar as hers was wide open.

Percy was shouting.

"It was _here, _on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing —"

"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back. Skylar moved to her doorway as Harry walked up from his room next door and opened the door.

"What's up?" said Harry.

"You're going to wake the whole inn." Skylar said from behind him as Percy rounded on the two.

"My Head Boy badge is gone," he said.

"So's Scabbers's rat tonic," said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar —"

"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy.

"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," Harry said to Ron, Harry gave Skylar a look who pulled a fake grimace, earning a smirk from the boy before he went downstairs.

"Has anyone else been in here?" Skylar asked as she approached the door.

"Not since we have."

"And Percy did you take the badge off and then you both leave the room?" She wondered.

Percy was silent for a minute.

"Then anyone could have come in and taken it. Now who do you think would creep in and do that?" Skylar asked with a raised eyebrow, Ron and Percy sharing a look. Ron was giving his older brother a scowl, for blaming him when the culprits were most likely Fred and George.

"What was with the shouting?" Nick asked as he came up behind his sister.

"Fred and George seem to have nicked Percy's Head Boy badge and Percy is blaming Ron." Skylar admitted.

"So… normal sibling banter then." Nick nodded before he turned to walk off.

"Hey! Nick, do you know if the twins took it?" Ron demanded, stopping the brown-haired boy. He clearly wanted Percy off his back.

"I don't know for sure but they did it with the Prefect Badge." Nick reminded them.

"Ron you'd better clean all this up," Skylar said. Ron had completely emptied the contents of his trunk in trying to find his rat tonic for Scabbers. "Your mum will have a complete cow if she sees you've unpacked and made a mess. What with the cars coming to pick us up, we can't afford to be running behind."

"You sound like them now, like our parents." Ron grumbled at her.

"Do you want to miss the train again?" Skylar asked scowling before she turned for her room.

As she did Harry came back down the hall. He was quiet as he walked into Ron and Percy's room with the rat tonic in hand, giving it to Ron before he walked straight out. Skylar rose an eyebrow as he moved to his room and she followed just before he could shut it.

"What's wrong?" She wondered.

"Get in!" Harry opened his door and Skylar entered the room as he closed it behind her.

Skylar watched him unsurely as he turned to her. "I just heard your parents and Ron's parents arguing down in the parlour." He said.

Skylar pursed her lips and lowered her gaze. "About?" She asked.

"They said Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban to come after me."

Skylar glanced up at him before she looked towards his window. "Oh…" she whispered.

"They think that Black thinks if he murders me, Voldemort will come back, because I'm the one who stopped him. That's why Fudge came to your house to check on me, why he didn't want to lose me and why your dad agreed to have me at your house and why we're getting cars tomorrow." Harry continued. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were arguing about telling me about it or not, your dad and Mrs. Weasley were adamant about keeping it quite, though your dad didn't seem to want to cause trouble with the minister by telling me, more than to keep me from being scared, which Mrs. Weasley thinks I will be. Your mum thought I was braver than Mrs. Weasley gave me credit for, being who my parents are…"

Skylar moved and sat down on the bed, looking at her hands in her lap as Harry continued to rant.

"Mrs. Weasley seemed confident I'd be safe at Hogwarts what with Dumbledore around, after all, Voldemort was scared of him. Mr. Weasley thinks we'll run into the trouble, especially after last year, I can't really blame him…" Harry stopped talking as he glanced at Skylar and noticed her silence finally.

"Sky?" She looked up at him and then cast her gaze back down again as he watched her.

"You don't seem worried…" he mumbled.

This grabbed her attention. "Of course I'm worried!" She said instantly. "Sirius Black killed thirteen people with one curse, was a terrible person who did unspeakably terrible things…" she took a breath. She couldn't tell him what Black _really _did. "And now he's escaped a high end security prison, the best we have to offer, escaped those terrible guards and all because of you. And given the last two years there's no doubt that he wont come looking for you, or find you and he knows things that others don't and no one will find him and…" she stopped and dropped her gaze. She took a breath, he would find out eventually regardless. Harry was watching her as she looked at her hands again.

"Harry…" she muttered looking at him. "I already knew." She whispered.

Harry looked at her for a moment before his expression smoothed out. "You knew he was after me." He muttered, it wasn't a question.

She nodded, avoiding his gaze. He would hate her for such a thing. "It's… really hard to keep secrets from legilimens. My parents can't really keep anything from us. Nick, Leon and I know the whole truth about Sirius Black and what he did, and, mum and dad didn't tell us he was after you, they refused to, but that didn't stop us from finding out, and I wanted to tell you but dad refused to let me because Fudge had made the call and…" she frowned and lowered her gaze. "I'm really sorry. Honestly if there was a time I didn't wish I knew things…"

"That's why you had that argument with him, the mental one." Harry realised and Skylar nodded.

"My dad's under a lot of stress, because he knew Black as a child, they're related after all, they knew each other since they were born, and then they were good friends in school, they did things, they know things and there are things that Dad's worried about but…"

"Sky, if there's more." Harry began but Skylar shook her head. She didn't want to tell him the truth, she didn't want to be the one to break that. She didn't want to confess what a terrible thing Black did. She didn't want to ruin everything and confess the truth. "Sky," Harry moved and sat beside her. "It's all right."

"It's not." She whispered. "Black did more than just kill those people, he killed one of his closest friends and he…" she took a breath, "He betrayed the rest… he did the worst thing he could and… Harry I'm really sorry I didn't tell you, that Sirius Black was after you, apparently the Ministry thinks he is because of his sleep talking… and… I don't think they're going to find him." She confessed.

"Why not? Everyone seems to think those guards can do it." Harry said and Skylar frowned.

"Yes…" she muttered.

"Apparently Mr. Weasley said the guards have been put all around Hogwarts too so, I'll be fine." Skylar looked at him.

"They're actually putting Dementors at school!?" She demanded shocked. Dumbledore gave in?

"What?"

"Dementors, that's what the Azkaban Guards are." She confessed "They're black clocked figures that live and feed off happiness. They make everything cold and makes you feel as if all the happiness is gone from the world." She explained "They're putting them around the school?!"

"Apparently, that's what Mr. Weasley said." Harry nodded. "He said Dumbledore wasn't happy about it though."

"Dumbledore's apparently never like those soul sucking monsters, Fudge had to argue to get him to agree apparently." Skylar grumbled.

"Soul sucking?" Harry asked and Skylar nodded.

"A Dementor can do this thing where it sucks out a person's soul. You become a living shell." She explained, "It's called a dementor's kiss. The person who had their soul removed might as well be a… a meat suit after that. There's nothing in them and they're just… there. But they have no thoughts, no words, no memories, no actions… only the worst criminals get it."

"Is that why everyone's so scared of them?" Harry asked.

"It's not really fear everyone feels towards them, it's… dislike isn't really the right word either. Dementors take the warmth from everything, even block out the stars they turn everything so black." She admitted. "That's why Azkaban is such a formidable place, they feed on everyone there and turn them mad, get their memories jumbled up, take away hope, happiness, energy, love, care… you're left with your pain, your darkest memories and moments."

Harry sat there looking understanding as he nodded. He looked at her and she frowned before dropping her gaze again.

"I'm really sorry." She repeated.

"Did you want to tell me?" he asked.

"I want to tell you about all of it but… mum and dad were around all the time and we were having such fun on the holidays… I didn't want to distract you or worry you or upset you… I didn't know how to confessed that…" She cut off again and closed her eyes, shaking her head.

Harry watched her as she looked solemn. She really was worried about him.

"You have the right to know but, I just…" she shrugged.

"I know now." He said and she turned to him. "I need to tell Ron and Hermione too." He said.

As he said that more shouts sounded from Ron and Percy's room next door. "Just not when the others are around though." He confessed. "Maybe they'll react more appropriately." He said tossing her a look.

"Hey I had four weeks to adjust. And you were safe at my house, though it was terrifying to think of you out there by yourself unprotected with him out there." She said and he nodded.

"Explains why Fudge let me off." He nodded and Skylar did too.

"He wasn't subtle at all." She repeated what Leon said.

"You had opportunities to tell me." Harry confessed.

Skylar frowned. "I don't know how to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Harry questioned.

"They say Peter Pettigrew went after Sirius Black after your parents died, that was when Sirius killed those thirteen people and Peter. Sirius blasted them so apart that only a finger was left of Pettigrew." She confessed.

"Are you telling me I should be scared?" Harry asked, "He can't be much scarier than Voldemort?"

"Scarier… no… crueler… maybe." She whispered.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

Skylar awoke early the following morning. Mrs. Weasley had come around to check on everyone before she went to bed and had kicked Skylar out of Harry's room, telling them how they needed sleep before they were to board the train. Skylar hadn't told Harry about Sirius Black betraying his parents. She knew he'd be angry, upset, hurt… Sirius Black was friends with his dad and had sold him out to You-Know-Who… how did she tell him that?

She had her trunk packed and ready. Meridiem was locked in her cage and Skylar went down stairs for breakfast.

"Morning Pumpkin." Nathaniel kissed his daughter's head as he joined her, staring at her breakfast.

"You know you shouldn't argue so loudly over private matters with the door open." She confessed and he looked up at her, the _Daily Prophet_ in his hand. She looked at him and shrugged innocently. "Harry heard you guys last night. He knows Black's after him."

Nathaniel took a breath and nodded. "What else did you tell him?" Skylar frowned as she looked back down at her breakfast.

"I couldn't bring myself to tell him the rest." She whispered. "I don't know how to…"

"Skylar, it's best you don't. You know what Harry's like, just like James he'll go off hunting for revenge." Nathaniel believed.

"How would you like it if you didn't know such a thing? If you found out on the grape vine, dad."

"Skylar, not until Sirius is caught." Nathaniel said, his voice stern.

"But—"

"Good morning." Mr. Weasley walked down into the parlour with his own _Daily Prophet_ in his hand, Mrs. Weasley following him with Hermione and Ginny with her.

Skylar didn't say anymore as Harry, Ron, Fred and George all came down for breakfast as well, Nick and Leon yawning, followed by Percy, who had his Head Boy badge pinned to his chest as usual.

There was chaos as they were leaving the Leaky Cauldron. Trunks were being heaved down the narrow staircase, Hedwig, Mitchum, Reylon and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, were piled on top of them all. Meridiem was quite quaint in her basket, while Crookshanks hated his wickerwork basket, he was spitting loudly from beside the heap of trunks.

"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."

"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?" He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.

"I'm letting Meridiem out." Skylar shrugged.

"Meridiem doesn't try and eat Scabbers."

"Not yet, Crookshanks might teach her a few things." Skylar said and Hermione had to hide her chuckles as Ron scowled at the auburn-haired girl.

Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars with Nathaniel, stuck his head inside.

"They're here," he said. "Harry, come on."

The Rosenwalds joined Harry as they went first, Harry being marched across the pavement by Mr. Weasley. Waiting for them were three old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.

"In you get, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.

Harry got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy. Skylar climbed into a car with Nick, Leon, Fred and George while the adults all climbed into the third car.

The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful as the Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, apart from their uncanny ability to squeeze through gaps that were much too small for them.

They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Nathaniel and Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.

Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station as they all paraded in and towards platforms nine and ten.

"Right then," Mr Weasley said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry." Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier.

Harry imitated him.

They fell right through the barrier, vanishing in the blink of the eye before Nathaniel encouraged Ginny and Percy to go next. Skylar and Leon followed, Fred and George as well, Nick and Ron next and Hermione, with her spitting cat, was accompanied by Dominique as Nathaniel and Mrs. Weasley brought up the rear.

The Hogwarts Express sat there, scarlet and gleaming as it puffed smoke over the platform packed with witches and wizards, all seeing their children onto the train.

Percy had already left Harry, Ginny and Mr. Weasley as the rest of the group joined them before Harry and Ron led the way to the end of the train. Most of the compartments were packed already as they tried to find a carriage that looked quite empty. Fred, George and Nick diverted, distracted by classmates, while Leon was grinning around at the thought of his second year at Hogwarts. They loaded the trunks onto the carriage, stowed Hedwig, Meridiem, Reylon and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say good-bye to Dominique, Nathaniel, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Dominique kissed her daughter's cheek, her son's forehead, just as Nick reappeared to receive a hug. Skylar gripped her father in a hug as well as Dominique hugged Harry, wishing him a good year and to feel free to write to her about anything.

"Promise me Skylar." Nathaniel whispered to his daughter.

"No." She said simply. "I can't promise I wont break it." She confessed, "It's just not right."

Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, then the Rosenwalds, and finally, Harry.

"Do take care, won't you, Harry?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches… Here you are, Ron… no, they're not corned beef… Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are, dear…"

"Harry," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here a moment."

He jerked his head toward a pillar, and Harry followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley. Skylar looked at Nathaniel who sighed and returned her gaze.

"You said he heard us?" She nodded. Nathaniel looked resigned as he watched Harry and Mr. Weasley. "He doesn't know about Black's betrayal though." He believed.

Skylar frowned and then shook her head. "He'll find out though dad, they'll be people who know."

"Skylar, many few people are aware of the truth. A few of the teachers, the minister, us who were their friends and that's about all."

"And those who were on You-Know-Who's side and avoided capture." She added.

"Just trust me Sky, we don't want him running off." Skylar frowned and looked displeased before she followed the others all onto the train. Mrs. Weasley had noticed her husband and Harry standing a little ways off as she looked at the clock worried.

"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, as she began to shepherd the children onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"

"He's coming, Molly!" said Mr. Weasley but he turned back to Harry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice.

Skylar looked at Harry worried as the steam was beginning to billow from the train.

"What are they doing?" Ron demanded.

"You don't want to know." Skylar confessed as Nick, Fred, George and Percy all vanished up the train.

"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley as the train began to move. Harry ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open, standing back to let him on.

They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Rosenwald, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.

"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed.

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron.

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, "come on, Leon." She said and Leon waved to his sister before he followed Ginny as she stalked off.

Harry, Ron, Skylar, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.

Skylar grinned as she recognised the man, asleep next to the window while Harry, Ron and Hermione checked the threshold. Skylar moved straight into the compartment before the other's followed.

"What's he asleep for?" Skylar chuckled, but then Remus did have it tough.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut, Skylar sitting the closest to Remus.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione.

"How d'you know that?"

"It's on his case," Hermione replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name _Professor R. J. Lupin _was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.

"Hang on, he was at your house Sky." Harry said.

"Remus is an old friend of my dad's, they went to school together. He was in the portraits I showed you Harry." Skylar smiled. "He's taking Defence Against the Dark Arts this year and it's going to be fantastic."

"How do you know?" Ron questioned.

"Remus is amazing, you'll see."

"Right… So what were you going to tell us?" Ron asked turning to Harry.

Harry explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given him on the train station. Mr. Weasley had insisted that Harry not go looking for Black, regardless of what Harry might learn. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. Skylar and Harry shared a look, he hadn't mentioned that she had already known this truth.

Hermione was the one to break the silence. She finally lowered her hands to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after _you_? Oh, Harry… you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Harry —"

"I don't go looking for trouble," said Harry, nettled. "Trouble usually finds _me._"

"How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" said Ron shakily.

Skylar looked at Remus, asleep against the window and then out the window.

Harry seemed surprised as to how Ron and Hermione were taking this news. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than he was.

"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too."

"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too…"

Harry glanced at Skylar who still had her gaze out the window. He tapped her knee and she turned to look at him. She smiled faintly while Ron was looking around confused.

"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.

A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment.

"It's coming from your trunk, Harry," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled a Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes. Ron had sent it to Harry for his birthday from Egypt. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.

"Is that a _Sneakoscope_?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look while Skylar's forehead furrowed. Sneakerscopes detected when those untrustworthy were around.

"Yeah… mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry."

"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly.

"No! Well… I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys… but how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him?"

"I would have sent you an owl." Skylar admitted.

"Stick it back in the trunk," Harry advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up." He nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of old socks Harry for some reason had, likely from his horrid family, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it.

"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, sitting back down. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."

"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain —"

"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way, "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!"

"Of course you do." Skylar rolled her eyes.

"What's that?" said Hermione.

"It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got _everything…_ Pepper Imps — they make you smoke at the mouth — and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next —"

Skylar looked at Hermione who glanced at her with a slightly annoyed expression as to Ron's enthusiasm.

"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In _Sites of Historical Sorcery _it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain —"

"— and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.

Skylar and Harry shared a look, he didn't look as excited as the two before them. And she knew why.

Hermione looked around at Harry.

"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?"

" 'Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out."

"What d'you mean?" said Ron.

"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form. And I forgot to ask Skylar's mum, though she might not have sighed it what with Black."

Ron looked horrified.

"_You're not allowed to come_? But — no way — McGonagall or someone will give you permission —"

Harry gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, was very strict.

"— or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle —"

Skylar rolled her eyes.

"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose —"

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask for permission," said Harry bitterly.

"She can't give it anyway, she's not your parent or your guardian." Skylar sighed looking at Harry.

"But if _we're _with him," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione, "Black wouldn't dare —"

"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street. Do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because _we're _there?"

She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks' basket as she spoke.

"We're not exactly formidable Ron." Skylar reminded him.

"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, noticing Hermione, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.

"Get out of here!"

"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.

Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred.

They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened. People were chasing backward and forward past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned toward Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket.

Meridiem was sitting on Skylar's lap, watching Crookshanks, her eyes flittering between the orange cat and Ron with curiosity. The two did not interact but were sitting on either sides of the compartment.

At one o'clock, the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door. Skylar got up and ordered some lunch and a few sweets, getting a little extra.

"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding toward Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."

"You're better off leaving him." Skylar smiled. "Remus really needs a lot of sleep."

"Don't worry, dear," said the witch as she handed Harry a large stack of Cauldron Cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."

"I suppose he _is _asleep?" said Ron quietly as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean — he hasn't died, has he?"

"No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the Cauldron Cake Harry passed her.

"Why does he need to sleep?" Ron asked.

"Long story." Skylar shrugged. "Remus has it rather rough, things aren't easy for him. I'd appreciate it if we left him asleep."

"How long have you known him?" Hermione wondered.

"All my life." Skylar nodded "He's actually Leon's godfather, though it took some persuading to get him to agree. He went to school with my dad, best of friends."

"But wasn't your dad friends with Harry's?" Ron asked.

"Yep, and so was Remus." Skylar grinned before she remembered. "Speaking of my dad I think he's going to be at Hogwarts a lot this year."

"Why?" Ron questioned.

"Few reasons. One, protect Harry, two, if Sirius Black is coming here for Harry, he and Remus know him best… or did…" she muttered, "And he's taken Lucius Malfoy's place as the new governor of the school." She smiled.

"Really?" Hermione beamed. "Oh I wish you'd have told me, I'd have congratulated him."

"Like I said, you'll get plenty of chances." Skylar smiled.

He might not be very good company, but Remus' presence in their compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps in the corridor again, and their three least favourite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

Draco had a pale, pointed, sneering face, and was in Slytherin House; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla-ish arms.

Skylar had grown up with the three of them, their parents all commuting together as the purebloods did, throwing parties and holding high sway. Draco's father and Skylar's father were two of the highest in that ranking, though until last year, Lucius had been also seeking Nathaniel's approval. The platinum-blonde-haired man had stopped after having lost Nathaniel's favour to Arthur Weasley. Draco was constantly seeking out Skylar, one would say he was trying to impress her, however it was not the attitude he put forward all the time, insulting her friends. He hated her gift as he didn't like how she could find out that he had always liked her, despite everything.

Draco and Harry however, had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first train journey to Hogwarts.

"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel."

"Creative." Skylar nodded.

Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly.

"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?"

Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Remus gave a snort.

"Who's that?" said Draco, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.

"New teacher," said Harry, who got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Draco's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose. His eyes flickered to Skylar and she rose an eyebrow before he turned away.

"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.

Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.

"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and —"

Ron made a violent gesture in midair.

"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Remus, "be _careful…_"

"Don't worry Hermione, Remus would probably give you a good tip on how to do it under the radar Ron." Skylar grinned.

"Seriously?" Ron asked as Hermione looked disapproving.

"Remus was a Gryffindor, and friends with Harry's dad, one of the biggest mischief makers ever. He knows how to be fun. He was also a Prefect though so he's got that leadership quality."

"You keep making him sound great Sky, he better not disappoint." Harry said and Skylar smiled.

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Remus slept.

"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Remus at the now completely black window.

The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.

"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Remus to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast…"

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.

"It's too early." Skylar agreed.

"So why're we stopping?"

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from across from Sky.

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"

Harry felt his way back to his seat, grabbing Sky's shoulder as she helped him sit back down.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"Dunno…"

There was a squeaking sound, Ron was by the window and was wiping a patch clear to peer out.

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard…"

"People?" Skylar asked carefully as she itched closer to Remus.

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone suddenly fell into the room.

"Sorry — d'you know what's going on? — Ouch — sorry —"

"Hullo, Neville," said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak.

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea — sit down —"

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice.

"No Hermione." Skylar muttered as there were the dull pads of her footfalls before the door slid open again. A thud and two loud squeals of pain sounded in surprise.

"Who's that?"

"Who's _that_?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"Hermione? Sky are you in there?" Leon's voice joined the darkness.

"Leo, yes, and Remus is too." Skylar said into the black.

"Really? On the train? Does he know what's going on?"

"He's been asleep the whole trip." Ron said.

"Wake him up." Leon thought as he came into the compartment, passing Ginny and Hermione with complaints.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"I was looking for Ron —"

"Come in and sit down —"

"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "_I'm _here!"

"Ouch!" said Neville.

"Remus!" Skylar said shaking the man and his voice suddenly answered her.

"Quiet!" said his hoarse voice. Remus had woken up at last, he squeezed Skylar's hand which had been on his shoulder. None of them spoke.

There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Remus appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.

"Stay where you are," he said in his hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.

But the door slid slowly open before Remus could reach it.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Remus's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, greyish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water…

Skylar felt herself gasp, as the hand withdrew quickly. And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. The hairs on the back of Skylar's neck stood and she felt like her breath was caught in her throat, in her chest. The cold went deeper than her skin, it was inside her chest, inside her heart.

The dementor was looking around at them all, or at least its head was turning as if it was. Harry suddenly was slumping off the chair beside Skylar, she felt his arm brush hers and his body hit her thigh before the thump of his body hit the floor.

Skylar couldn't bring herself to speak or to move, she was shaking in her seat, she felt fear, uselessness… Harry was twitching on the floor.

Remus suddenly stepped forwards, towards the dementor, the only one seeming to be able to move.

"None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go." Everyone was watching but the dementor didn't move. Remus moved his hand and pulled out his wand, he muttered under his breath and a silvery substance shot from his wand. They watched as the dementor glided back from the substance and away from the door. As it left, the door closed behind it, the stifling suffocating cold vanished and Skylar felt her breathing again.

As the cold vanished, she shook her head and moved in her seat. She looked down at Harry as the lights all started coming on again. Remus moved back to sit down as Skylar got down beside Harry, shaking him. His eyes were closed as Ron and Hermione moved to his side as well. The train gave a launch and they all looked around as the train started moving again.

"Harry!" Skylar said shaking him. Ginny, Leon and Neville were all looking very pale, Hermione and Ron weren't much different. "Harry!" Skylar tried again, but he wasn't responding.

Ron moved forwards and tapped Harry's face.

"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?"

Ron hit him harder. Harry took a breath in.

"W — what?"

Harry opened his eyes and looked around above him. He saw Skylar, leaning over him as Hermione and Ron kneeled on his other side. Remus and Neville looked down at him as well, Leon and Ginny sitting by his head. Ginny was huddled in the corner, looking terrible and frightened.

Harry pushed his glasses up his nose, which had slipped down due to the sweat covering his face. Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.

"Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. "What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still. Skylar's forehead furrowed slightly as she sat back in her seat beside him.

"But I heard screaming —"

A loud snap made them all jump. Remus was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."

Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it.

"What was that thing?" Harry asked Remus.

"A dementor," said Remus, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the dementors of Azkaban." Skylar was first to bite down on hers. The chocolate spread warmth through her body, right to her toes and made her feel a lot lighter, better, less shaky.

Everyone stared at him. Remus crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…"

Skylar and Leon smiled at him, as they were the only two biting down on the chocolate, apparently the perfect cure for the coldness of a Dementor.

He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.

"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.

"I don't get it… What happened?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face.

"Well — that thing — the dementor — stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — and you — you —"

"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching —"

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away…"

"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again…"

"That's what Dementors do, that's why Azkaban's such a horrible place, imagine, being stuck in that coldness forever." Skylar mumbled. She looked at Ginny, who gave a small sob and Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.

"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.

"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though…"

"A dementor takes away the good and leaves the bad, the terrors you've experienced in your life. I'm not surprised you and Ginny felt the worst of it." Skylar mumbled "Given what Ginny went through last year and how you've faced You-Know-Who so many times…"

"So because they've been through bad things…?" Leon began.

"They basically were feeding the dementor, because they've been through things that they hate, things that make them sad or scared, that's why Harry fell from his seat I suppose. Even if he doesn't remember it, he was there when his parents were lost and over the last two years when the basilisk almost killed him and with the philosopher's stone and all." Skylar said and she looked at Harry with a frown. He was watching her, listening to her explanation.

"How do you know this?" Neville asked her.

"My dad." She muttered. "He might not want to tell me about a creature that causes such pain but…"

"He doesn't get the choice with you being a legilimens." Hermione understood and Skylar nodded.

"Things like the terrors of the Azkaban guards… no one forgets easily. I've never seen one before, or felt its affects though." Skylar pulled her arms around her, even though the chocolate had removed the cold. "It was worse than I imagined."

Remus had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know…"Everyone looked at it before one by one, they began to take a bite of their pieces. "Leon, you all right?" he asked looking at the boy.

Leon nodded. "Thanks to you."

"Yeah, thanks Remus." Skylar smiled. Remus walked over to her and placed a hand on her cheek, looking her over before he looked around at everyone else.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes. Are you all right, Harry?"

"Fine," he muttered.

Skylar frowned at him, he was embarrassed at having fainted, but there was nothing to be embarrassed about. It wasn't his fault he'd seen such awful things. She reached up to her trunk and pulled out a handkerchief, handing it to Harry. He gave her a slight smile before wiping his forehead.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Harry, Skylar Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All righ', you four?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Harry, Skylar Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform, loosing Neville, Leon and Ginny in the crowd along the way. They were forced out onto the rough mud track, where the horseless stagecoaches were waiting for them. The students climbed into them in groups, allowing the doors to shut and the coach to set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

The four of them climbed into one that smelled of mould and straw, they didn't speak and Ron and Hermione continued to give Harry sideways glances, as though he might collapse again. Harry glanced at Skylar and she turned to catch his gaze. She gave him a reassuring smile, she knew he didn't feel great, being the only one to be so badly affected by the dementor.

As the carriage trundled toward the magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, on either side of the gate were two more towering, hooded dementors. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf them again and Harry leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed the gates. Skylar rubbed his arm and he turned to peak at her. She too was looking down at her hands, trying to pretend the dementors weren't there.

The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out. Skylar followed and Harry brought up the rear before a drawling, delighted voice sounded.

"You _fainted, _Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually _fainted_?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Draco loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"Draco, do you know what a dementor does?" Skylar said and Draco's smirk slipped slightly, confusion on his face. "Don't you know anything about dementors?" She asked a curious expression on her face, she looked at him for a minute before nodding. "No, apparently not."

"Stop it."

"Draco you can't come and torment about something when you don't even understand the effect of it yourself." Skylar said matter-of-factly, sounding rather like Hermione.

"Oh so you fainted too did you?" He asked he didn't have the excitement or maliciousness in his expression like he did when talking to the boys.

"I haven't faced as many dangers as Harry has." She confessed.

"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Remus had just gotten out of the next carriage.

Draco gave Remus an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no — er — _Professor,_" then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.

"You make it sound like fainting is brave." Harry muttered to Skylar.

"When it comes to a dementor, it kinda is." She confessed. "It's nothing to do with weakness that's for sure."

Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the four of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right and they followed the crowd toward it. They had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!"

Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised, before Ron and Skylar did the same. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern-looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. Harry fought his way over to her with Hermione following.

"They can't be in trouble already." Skylar thought as they ignored the people pushing towards the Great Hall and watched them. Harry was looking rather worried as if he had done something wrong regardless.

"There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley, Miss Rosenwald."

Ron and Skylar shared a look as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase.

"Come on, I suppose they'll turn up for the food." Skylar said to Ron and lead the way into the Great Hall. The room was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with a few students as more joined them, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair.

"But why's she talking to them anyway?" Ron asked.

"McGonagall's worried about Harry having collapsed and she wants to talk to Hermione about her classes."

"I can't believe you got all that in such a short time." Ron muttered as they moved down the Gryffindor table to take a seat along it.

"I have been practicing the last two years remember." She said, "It's gotten stronger."

"You still doing lessons this year?"

"I assume so."

For the last two years Skylar had been having private lessons with the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, to train her legilimency and learn Occlumency, which was the opposite of Legimilency. While Legilimency allowed a person to enter another's mind, Occlumency, blocked others from entering one's mind.

"What more do you have to learn?"

"I think we're going to be reining in my ability now, depending on how good my Occlumency is." Skylar shrugged as everyone else began taking seats around them. "I'll know after my first lesson."

The school was all seated amongst the four long tables, each one housing one house, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin, while the teachers were at the head of the room at the fifth long table. Three chairs were empty, Hagrid's, as he was escorting the first years over the lake to come in and be sorted. McGonagall's chair was empty as she was with Harry and Hermione, and Flitwick's chair was empty.

"Where's Professor Flitwick?" Ron wondered.

"Well, McGonagall's busy, maybe Flitwick is housing the first years this year." Skylar offered. "Someone's got to read the names out." Professor Flitwick was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair.

Remus had taken his place in the Defence Against the Dark Art's seat and another had been added…

"Man, you were right, your dad is here." Ron muttered to her.

Nathaniel had been given a seat beside Remus and was chatting to him, both looking slightly grave and likely communicating about the Dementor.

"No surprise he's at the start of term feast." Skylar said thinking, "If you're going to go to any, that's one of them."

With everyone seated the Oak doors opened and everyone turned to see Flitwick walking into the room. Behind him were a bunch of small first years, all trembling from the weather and the cold, and looking rather frightened as to the ordeal they were about to go through.

Flitwick had them line up in front of the teacher's table and face the rest of the school, their backs to the teachers. He placed a stool before them and on top of it, he placed an old, frayed and patched wizards hat, the Sorting Hat. The hat had been enchanted by the founders of Hogwarts, from Skylar's understanding so far, it had been infused with Legilimency, to look through the children's minds and deciphered what kind of person they were and which house they therefore belonged in.

Everyone waited for a moment before a rip appeared at the brim of the hat and it burst into song.

Skylar had been to two sorting so far, her own, and Leon and Ginny's. Last year the hat had sung a different song to the one she'd heard at her sorting and now the Hat sung yet a different one. It still held the same attributes however, explaining the qualities of those in each house and what each student within each house can accomplish.

When it had finished it bowed to everyone, who applauded it, and was still again.

Flitwick instructed the first years that they were to put on the hat when he called their names before going to their appointed house table. He cleared his throat and, in his squeaky voice, he began to read.

One by one the students came forwards, sat on the stool and pulled the hat on, and one by one the hat shouted out one of the four houses to place the student in. Each time their house was called, the table would clap and the new first year would join them. Professor Flitwick read through them before all the first years were sorted. The small Charms Professor picked up the hat and the stool and moved away from the Great Hall.

Heads began to turn and Skylar and Ron turned to see Harry and Hermione walking along the back of the hall towards their table as Professor McGonagall was moving towards the teachers table. A few people were pointing at them as they approached Ron and Skylar, who'd spread out in order to save them seats on either side of them.

"What was all that about?" Ron muttered to Harry.

Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off.

Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, and he smiled down at all the students before them.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…"

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

He paused, and Skylar wondered if he was taking a breath to remove his disapproval of this idea.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.

"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Skylar, Nick and Leon all clapped the loudest, and those who had been in the compartment on the train with Remus, joined the three Rosenwalds. Remus looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Remus. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job, but the expression was twisting his thin, sallow face. It was beyond anger: it was loathing.

"They went to school together and Snape hates Remus and my dad." Skylar confessed.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Remus died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Skylar cheered and clapped as Ron, Harry and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Hagrid was rather ruby-red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

"Genius huh." Skylar grinned.

"You knew?" Ron and Harry chorused.

"Remus told me Kettleburn was leaving but refused to tell me who was replacing him. He's been practicing Occlumency so I couldn't find out, and then Harry told me Hagrid gave him the text book for his birthday. I made a guess."

"And you didn't share?" Hermione asked. Skylar shrugged.

Skylar, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"As to another announcement, I have another introduction to give. For majority of the year we will have a guest amongst us and I wish for you to get used to his face, as I am proud to present Nathaniel Rosenwald, the newest member to our board of governors for the school."

Skylar, Nick and Leon cheered as many people clapped, Nathaniel grinning and standing.

"He has asked to come and join us to learn a few of the ropes as a governor, please do not hesitate to say, 'hello' when you see him in the corridors or at breakfast." Dumbledore smiled.

A few Gryffindors were clapping Nick and Leon on the backs as Nick looked impressed and Leon slightly embarrassed. Skylar smiled at them.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Skylar reached forwards and grabbed a bit of everything, feeling very hungry as she looked at the food before her.

It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Harry, Skylar Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid.

"He must be so excited." Skylar smiled.

"And important, we all know how much such an opportunity will mean to him."

Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year.

At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.

"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.

"I can't believe you didn't tell us." Skylar grinned before she turned to her father and Remus who were chuckling at the three. "And that goes for you two as well, how could you keep this?"

"Hagrid asked for it to be a surprise." Nathaniel shrugged. "How are you doing Sky, feeling all right?"

"Better now I've been fed. Remus looked after us." Skylar smiled. "Besides keeping Hagrid's new job a secret!" Harry, Ron and Hermione chuckled at her.

"All down ter you four," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it… great man, Dumbledore… came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough… It's what I always wanted…"

Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.

Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.

Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Skylar yawned as she climbed the spiral stair, looking forward to her four-poster bed. Meridiem was already curled up on it, her trunk at its foot. Crookshanks was beside her, licking her over the top of her head as she was curled up.

"Aww, and we thought they'd be trouble." Skylar smiled to Hermione who was beside her. Hermione nodded before she yawned.

They both changed into their pyjama's before Skylar moved the two cats over so she had room to climb in and cuddle with them under her crisp blankets.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

Harry fainting hadn't been forgotten by the following morning, when Skylar, Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.

"Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it…"

"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! _Woooooooo_!"

"What's with her?" Ron grumbled from behind Skylar.

"She's easy to get to." Skylar admitted.

"Yeah? How?" Ron smirked.

"Morning Draco." Skylar smiled and all the Slytherins turned to her, Draco included, looking rather surprised and then smirking in satisfaction, while Pansy was glaring daggers at Skylar. Skylar winked at Pansy with a small smile.

"All you have to do is say hi to him?" Ron asked her.

"Yeah, problem is, it gives Draco an ego boost." She sighed, "Sometimes it's not worth it."

Skylar sat herself down next to her brother as Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.

"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing them over.

"Oh yes!" Skylar grinned. "I can't wait to start learning about Runes, it seems so exciting." She admitted.

"Hermione's supposed to be the one excited about classes, not you." Ron confessed as he sat down on George's other side.

"Look, I can't help it. I'm most excited about Remus' lessons though, he knows how to be fun." Skylar smiled.

"Wonder what he's planning for us?" Nick grinned at her.

"Regardless." Skylar shrugged.

"What's up with you, Harry?" George asked as the boy was looking rather down.

"Malfoy," said Ron, glaring over at the Slytherin table.

George looked up in time to see Draco pretending to faint with terror again.

"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Draco.

"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those dementors…"

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.

"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking… They suck the happiness out of a place, dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"My dad said the same." Skylar nodded. "The more horrors in your past the more you're affected which is why Harry got such a whip of it." Skylar said looking at him.

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

The only time Harry and Draco had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Draco had definitely come off worse. Feeling slightly more cheerful, Harry helped himself to sausages and fried tomatoes.

Hermione was examining her new schedule.

"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily.

"Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your schedule. Look — they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough _time._"

"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

"But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And" — Ron leaned closer to the schedule, disbelieving — "_look _— underneath that, Arithmancy, _nine o'clock. _I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's _that _good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"

Skylar looked up at the two with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once."

"Well, then —"

"Pass the marmalade," said Hermione.

"But —"

"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my schedule's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. "I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

Skylar was eyeing the girl, who was doing a very good job at avoiding her gaze in return, buttering her toast as Skylar was eating her scrambled eggs. It was very suspicious… What was it her father had said? They'd organised it all?

Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absentmindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand.

"All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on the way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five gettin' everythin' ready… Hope it's okay… Me, a teacher… hones'ly…"

He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat.

"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice.

The hall was starting to empty as people headed off toward their first lesson. Ron checked his course schedule.

"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there…"

"Have fun climbing to that tower all the time." Skylar chuckled.

"Oh and what do you have?" Ron asked grinning.

"A free period." Skylar said turning around her timetable. Ron scowled but at that moment the post arrived and owls swarmed over the roof of the Great Hall. Everyone looked up as things forgotten by students were delivered by the parents and one owl landed in front of Skylar.

Her expression dropped. It wasn't her father, or her mother's owl and both her brothers were at the table with her, Leon a few seats away, so the only other person who would be sending her a letter so early in the term, would be the Headmaster.

"Well, one guess says my Monday mornings will be filled with Legilimency lessons." She said untying the letter.

"You wont have them every morning." Nick assured her, tapping George's shoulder for them to hurry up.

"Hope not." She mumbled.

"You've always done them in the evening." Ron muttered looking confused.

"Well, now I'm doing them in the morning." She said as she opened it and read the letter. On it was Dumbledore's slanted handwriting as he wished her well and asked for her to meet him in his office, Monday mornings, for them to begin drawing her ability back in and gaining some control now that it had been developed.

"I do hope it's not every Monday, it'd be nice to think I could get a bit of a sleep in before breakfast and homework." She said sighing.

"You're supposed to be studying then Skylar." Hermione scolded.

"Not all of us are doing a million subjects Hermione." Skylar reminded her without looking up from the letter.

"I thought you liked your Legilimency lessons?" Nick said as he stood up.

"I do, but on a Monday morning, no one likes Monday mornings." Skylar reminded her brother.

"Well, you have fun with that, while we climb to the North Tower." Ron nodded.

Skylar chuckled as they all finished their breakfasts, said good-bye to Fred, Nick and George, and walked back through the hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Draco did yet another impression of a fainting fit. The shouts of laughter followed Harry into the entrance hall.

"I wish you luck." Skylar smiled.

"The class can't be that hard." Ron thought.

"No, I meant luck in finding the place." Skylar said chuckling before she waved and moved for the third floor corridor. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside the North Tower before, let alone to its base.

Skylar continued until she reached the Gargoyle on the wall for the Headmaster's office, she pulled the letter back out again, in which the password was written, spoke it to the Gargoyle and it leapt aside, the wall sliding open, to reveal the spiral staircase.

Skylar had been in the headmaster's office more times than she could count. She'd been having these lessons for two years now and knew easily to knock on the door with the griffin shaped knocker.

"Enter." Skylar opened the door, turning to close it behind her before she looked over the office. It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, the shabby, tainted Sorting Hat.

Sitting behind the enormous desk was Albus Dumbledore, with his silver light hair and beard, his blue eyes twinkling at her from behind their half-moon spectacles. But also in the room was Nathaniel, Skylar's father.

"Dad?" She said surprised, the word jumping from her mouth before she'd even though to greet the headmaster.

"Morning Sky." He grinned as she walked towards the desk.

"Good morning, Skylar." Dumbledore smiled, "Good to see you again, I hope you are refreshed after the holidays?"

"Of course." She smiled at him as she sat in the seat on the other side of his desk as she usually did.

"Your father was most interested in your progress and so wanted to see how far you'd progressed." Dumbledore admitted.

Skylar grinned. "Well, further than he ever did I'm sure." Nathaniel rolled his eyes at his daughter as Dumbledore chuckled.

"Well, between us…" he said lowly to her. Nathaniel cleared his throat and Skylar chuckled.

"Now then, as usual with our first lesson of the year we will revise what we've done so far. Just to recap we worked on developing your Legilimency, and then teaching to block legilimens with Occlumency. How do you think you've faired?" He wondered.

"Well, I know how to block Legilimens but as I'm one myself, I most of the time just end up having a conversation with them instead of blocking them out." She said. "So I haven't practiced as much."

"And why do you think this is?" Dumbledore asked.

"I haven't met a Legilimens that I don't mind letting in." She shrugged honestly. "It's mostly my brothers and dad after all. It does come in vey handy after all so I prefer to use it then to block out others." She confessed.

"A reason why your Legilimency is stronger, you have a desire to know things in which your gift thoroughly allows you to." Dumbledore smiled and gave her an amused look. "Including things you shouldn't know."

"Can't disagree with you." She sighed. "By the way, on the topic of things I shouldn't know, if Sirius Black is caught, will Harry be able to get permission to go to Hogsmeade? I assume that's why mum never signed his form."

"Until we are sure Harry is in no danger, it is best that he remains where he is safe." Dumbledore nodded. "However, if the danger has passed, yes, we will allow the form to be sighed by Mrs. Rosenwald." He smiled at her and she nodded.

Great. Only no one could catch Black but her father or Remus.

"Now then," Dumbledore continued. "Not to repeat old lessons but you and Nathaniel will be having a bit of a competition this morning." He smiled and Skylar rose an eyebrow, glancing at her father who smiled. "I've decided, given it's the first lesson on the first day, we might make a bit of a game out of it."

Skylar was looking surprised, Dumbledore seemed, if possible, a bit childish right now. He was smiling in amusement as Nathaniel chuckled.

"It was your father's idea." Dumbledore added as he looked at her face.

Skylar rolled her eyes, of course it was.

"You're each going to try and find a memory in one another's mind, one will search while the other will block. Both want to achieve their goal first." Dumbledore said as he waved his wand and another chair appeared beside Skylar. Nathaniel moved and sat in the chair beside his daughter. Skylar rose an eyebrow at him for deciding on such a task, she knew her legilimency was better than his, but she didn't know of his Occlumency, of course he didn't block her from knowing important things like that Black is after Harry or that he hadn't told anyone the truth about why they couldn't find him.

"Skylar, you will search first." Dumbledore continued, "While Nathaniel will aim to block you. Your task is to locate a memory of his friends during their school time before he can stop you."

Skylar nodded and she looked at her father, her eyes perfectly matching his as he smirked.

"Ready?" He asked and she nodded.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Skylar skipped her way back down the corridors and towards Transfiguration, she was quite pleased with herself, she had been able to locate her father's memories rather quickly, but blocking him was a bit more difficult, of course she got better at it with every try, remembering the lessons from the previous year. She was glad she'd had a practice with her father, she had practiced with both her brothers and it was nice for a change.

As she moved for McGonagall's classroom she wondered how Harry, Ron and Hermione had done in their Divination class.

Skylar slowed down as she thought, how was Hermione going to get to her other classes, three of them all at the same time… clearly that was what McGonagall had wanted to talk to her about last night during the Sorting but…

She was so curious as to the method she was determined to find out, but clearly, she wasn't supposed to know, after all, Hermione hadn't told her, Ron or Harry about her method to attending three classes scheduled at the same time. This meant if she did find out, she either wouldn't tell anyone, or, she'd just tell Hermione.

Dumbledore was right, she did have a desire to know things.

Skylar reached transfiguration, the door was already open and she moved inside to find only a few other people there. Harry, Ron and Hermione however were not and so she moved to sit in a chair to wait. She wouldn't have been surprised if everyone had gotten lost trying to come back from the North Tower.

"Miss Rosenwald, your homework." McGonagall was going around collecting those who were already in the room and Skylar reached for her bag before handing it over.

"Have a nice holiday Professor McGonagall?"

"As good as one can with all the safety measures being placed around the school."

Skylar nodded. No one liked dementors.

The rest of the class all came trouping in and Skylar turned to see Harry, Ron and Hermione amongst them. She frowned however, everyone was looking worried and uncertain, had the class been that bad?

Harry moved over and sat beside her, Ron joining them and finally Hermione not far behind. McGonagall collected the rest of the homework before beginning her lessons on Animagi. Skylar grinned at such a lesson but everyone was so down around them, Harry was leaning on his table and wasn't paying any attention to the lesson.

Skylar clapped when Professor McGonagall turned into a tabby cat with spectacle markings, but she was one of the only ones who did. She looked around confused and so did Professor McGonagall as she changed back with a faint _pop._

"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall_,_ staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."

Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. Skylar looked down at him confused, before Hermione raised her hand.

"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and —"

"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

"Dying?" Skylar questioned.

Some stared at her, while a few minority look confused as well.

"Me," said Harry, finally. And Skylar blinked.

"You're not dying?" She said.

"I see you are not taking Divination, Miss Rosenwald." Professor McGonagall said and Skylar shook her head.

"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues —"

Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney —"

She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Hermione laughed.

"Hang on, the Divination teacher told you, you were going to die?" Skylar asked him and he nodded. "How rude." She said and a few people chuckled at her. A few people looked happier at the new revelation of Trelawney predicting many students deaths, however, not everyone was convinced.

Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?"

When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.

"Ron, cheer up," said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew toward him. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said."

Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start.

"Harry," he said, in a low, serious voice, "you _haven't _seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"

"Yeah, I have," said Harry. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'."

Ron let his fork fall with a clatter as Skylar pursed her lips.

"Probably a stray," said Hermione calmly.

Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad. "Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's — that's bad," he said.

"Harry didn't see the Grim." Skylar assured. Though she did find it some what coincidental that Sirius Black was after Harry and yet resembled a giant spectral dog…

"My — my uncle Bilius saw one and — and he died twenty-four hours later!"

"Coincidence," said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"

"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"

Ron mouthed wordlessly at Hermione, who opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug.

"I think Divination seems very woolly," she said, searching for her page. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."

"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron hotly.

"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep," said Hermione coolly.

"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!"

He had touched a nerve. Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere.

"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!"

She snatched up her bag and stalked away.

Ron frowned after her.

"What's she talking about?" He said to Harry. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."

Skylar was watching Hermione, just because they hadn't seen her go didn't mean she hadn't been… there was clearly some way that allowed Hermione to get to several classes at once.

"How was your lesson, Sky?" Harry wondered.

"Dumbledore had my dad and I playing a game." She said grinning and Ron and Harry looked surprised. "We took it in turns to search each other's minds and trying to block the other from doing so. We did Legilimency and Occlumency. Dad wanted to see how I'd been going."

"So you played games?" Ron asked, "and we learned Harry is going to die." Harry looked at Ron irritably.

"Ron, Harry's only going to die if the grim comes into the school and gets to him. It can't be that easy to enter a classroom or a dormitory." She said. She knew it was easier to enter the school grounds as a dog, but not the common room with passwords or the classrooms filled with people and teachers.

After lunch the three of them moved for the Entrance Hall where Hermione met them and they moved outside.

Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale grey, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class.

Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other. Skylar and Harry walked beside them in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Skylar's eyed narrowed as she noticed the back of a head covered in platinum blonde hair, clearly belonging to one Draco Malfoy.

"Oh boy." She whispered as she saw him talking to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. Clearly they had this class with the Slytherins.

Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" He called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

For one nasty moment, it looked as though Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest; Skylar never wanted to go back in there if she could help it, she'd had enough experiences in that place. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it — make sure yeh can see — now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books —"

"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" Draco repeated. He took out his copy of _The Monster Book of Monsters, _which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, like Harry, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.

"Hasn' — hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.

The class all shook their heads.

"Yeh've got ter _stroke _'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look —"

He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Draco sneered. "We should have _stroked _them! Why didn't we guess!"

"Well, when you think about it, it makes sense." Skylar said thinking, "Make it happy and comfortable and it'll be submissive." She smiled and Draco's eyes narrowed slightly at her innuendo.

"I — I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Draco. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and Harry wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.

"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so — so yeh've got yer books an' — an' — now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on…"

He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Draco loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him —"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated.

"Careful, Potter, there's a dementor behind you —"

"Draco your father has no say about what happens here anymore, he lost that right _when he was fired and kicked off the board of governors._" Skylar said slowly and Draco's cheeks went slightly pink. Several of the Gryffindors, and even Slytherins chuckled and Draco sneered at her before turning his face away.

"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, gaining everyone's attention as she was pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.

Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"Gee up, there!" He roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

They truly were. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different colour: stormy grey, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.

"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer —"

No one seemed to want to. Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione, however, approached the fence cautiously.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone. They'd regret that later.

"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt.

"Right — who wants ter go first?"

Most of the class backed farther away in answer. Even Harry, Ron, Skylar and Hermione had misgivings. The hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.

"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.

"I'll do it," said Harry.

There was an intake of breath from behind him, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!"

"Oh for God's sake." Skylar rolled her eyes.

Harry ignored them. He climbed over the paddock fence.

"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then — let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

He untied one of the chains, pulled the grey hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. Skylar bit her lip as she watched, everyone around her seemed to be holding their breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.

"Easy, now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink… Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much…"

They all watched as Harry stared at the Hippogriff, not shutting his eyes. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye.

"Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Harry… now, bow…"

Harry gave a short bow, something Skylar wondered if was good enough for the Hippogriffs as the black-haired boy stood back straight.

The hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him. It didn't move.

"Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right — back away, now, Harry, easy does it —"

But then the hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow.

"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"

Harry looked hesitant but he then moved slowly toward the hippogriff and reached out toward it. He patted the beak several times and the hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it.

The class broke into applause, Hermione, Ron and Skylar all grinning as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were looking deeply disappointed.

"Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he might' let yeh ride him!"

Harry looked panicked as Hagrid moved towards him and began to instruct him, but boy said nothing and did as was instructed.

"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, "an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that…"

Harry put his foot on the top of Buckbeak's wing and hoisted himself onto its back. Buckbeak stood up.

"What does he hold onto?" Skylar mumbled, peering across the fence confused.

"Go on, then!" roared Hagrid, slapping the hippogriff's hind-quarters.

Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of Harry; he just had time to seize the hippogriff around the neck before he was soaring upward.

Skylar beamed, it looked amazing. The Hippogriffs wings rose on either side of Harry as he rose into the air and flew once around the paddock before heading back towards the ground. The landing of the Hippogriff seemed slightly heavier than expected as Harry was lying across its back and almost slid forwards off and to the ground.

"Good work, Harry!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered. "Okay, who else wants a go?"

Skylar happily climbed the fence into the paddock feeling more confident now. Everyone else followed as Hagrid untied the hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. Skylar, Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, while Harry watched.

"They're so lovely." Skylar smiled as she pet the silly feathers. "Kinda sweet. Hey Hagrid, what are the talons for? Are they for hunting? What do they eat?" She wondered turning to him and he smiled at her interest.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.

"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry to hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it… I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.

"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. Skylar was gapping in surprise, a hand over her mouth. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me — gotta get him outta here —"

Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Harry saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid.

"They should fire him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.

"It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly.

They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall.

"I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase. The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Skylar, Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower.

"D'you think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously.

" 'Course he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second," said Harry, who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the nurse.

"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking worried. "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him…"

Skylar stopped walking and the three turned to her. "I need to find my dad." She thought, earning a confused look from the three. "Hermione take my bag to the dormitory will you, I'll meet you all at dinner."

"Where are you going?" Ron called after her as Skylar turned and ran back down the corridor

"Remus' office!" She shouted back.

"Why!?" Ron questioned but Skylar had vanished down the other end of the corridor. "Why does she need to find her dad?" He asked Hermione.

"Because he's on the Board of Governors." Harry answered.

"Of course, Skylar can tell her dad what happened and get Hagrid a good defence." Hermione realised. "If anyone can stand up to Lucius Malfoy it's Nathaniel Rosenwald." She thought nodding.

"He has been doing it for years apparently." Ron nodded. "Hope she makes it."

"Course she will, she'll get to her father before anyone gets to Lucius, and all the Gryffindors will back up her story, what's better, Nathaniel knows the Malfoys and Hagrid, so who would he believe?" Harry thought.

The three, Hermione carrying Skylar's bag as well as her own, continued to the common room feeling a bit more confident.

Skylar moved for the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, pressing her ear against it when she got there. She was in luck, silence greeted her as there didn't seem to be a class. Nonetheless she knocked on the door and waited.

She didn't receive a response.

Skylar abandoned the classroom and moved for the teacher's office, knocking on the door.

"Come in." She opened the door, stepping in and closing it behind her. "Ah, Sky, I was wondering when you were going to come and visit." Remus was sitting behind his desk and he smiled at her.

Skylar was momentarily thrown before she realised, today had been his first day of teaching. She suddenly wanted to know everything… but there was still Malfoy.

"How was your first day?" She asked.

"Seems I've impressed a few people, Leon said the lesson was excellent." Remus smiled.

"Hard to impress someone who already knows you're brilliant." Skylar said rolling her eyes. "I'd ask what you have in store for me, but I'm sort of excited for a surprise."

"And something tells me there's something else on your mind." Remus rose a knowing eyebrow.

Skylar smiled guiltily. "Draco Malfoy didn't follow instructions or listen in class and ended up getting injured by a Hippogriff in Hagrid's class and I need to talk to my dad and tell him the real story before Lucius goes to the Governors and the Minister and god knows who else." She explained rather quickly. "You don't know were I can find him do you?"

"Well, have you tried the staff room?" Remus offered,

"No, I didn't want to be running around so I came to you first." She said before she grinned.

Remus chuckled. "I'll send him a memo."

Skylar watched as Remus grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill, loading the quill with ink and writing a note. He blew on the ink to dry it before he began to fold up the parchment. He tapped it with his wand and the parchment, now in the shape of a paper aeroplane, rose into the air and towards the door. Skylar grabbed it and opened the door to move out to the hallway and watch the memo fly off.

She turned to Remus. "Either we'll get a response, or your father will turn up here."

Skylar nodded before she moved to sit down opposite Remus.

"So apart from Care of Magical Creatures, how are your other subjects?" Remus wondered.

"Harry, Hermione and Ron had Divination this morning, apparently Professor Trelawney has predicted Harry will die."

"Yes, she has a habit of doing that I hear."

"That's what Professor McGonagall said…" Skylar nodded but she glanced around the office.

"Sky, I can tell there's more." Remus smiled at her.

Skylar glanced at her lap. "Apparently, Harry had the grim in his tea leaves this morning, and during the holidays, Harry told me he'd seen a large black dog the night he left his aunt and uncles."

Remus nodded as he released a breath.

"Remus… you don't think it was…?" Skylar worried.

Remus was spared from answering when a memo suddenly slid in from under the doorway and up onto the desk. The Professor unfolded it and read the return before smiling to his student.

"Your father's with McGonagall."

"Perfect." She nodded before getting up. "Thanks Re— Professor." She smiled before she opened the door and moved back out.

Skylar hurried off down the corridors, taking turns at the ends and moving through hidden stairways to get to the Transfiguration Professor's office. She didn't stop until she was outside of it and she stood panting for a moment before she knocked.

"Enter." Professor McGonagall responded before Skylar opened the door and walked in.

"Sky," Nathaniel smiled at her. "What's the urgency about?"

"Okay, we had our first lesson of Care of Magical Creatures today with Hagrid, and he decided to show us Hippogriffs."

"That's an interesting start." Nathaniel nodded.

"And he told us that you never want to insult a Hippogriff because they're proud creatures, and it sort of put everyone off petting them, but then Harry did and it was kinda cool, he even rode the Hippogriff, before we all went in and began to introduce ourselves and meet the Hippogriffs. It was a really good lesson. But then Malfoy decided to insult the Hippogriff that Harry rode, Buckbeak and Buckbeak attacked him, he's now in the hospital wing."

Nathaniel and McGonagall stared at her surprised.

"Draco's going to tell Lucius and Lucius will go to the Governors and the Ministry and do all sorts of terrible things to Hagrid because Draco was a brat and wasn't listening to the lesson. He doesn't take Hagrid seriously because he thinks he's an oaf and I needed to tell you as quickly as possible." She explained quickly.

Nathaniel sighed. "Not Hagrid's lucky day then today is it." Skylar shook her head.

"Well, I'm glad you came and told us so quickly." McGonagall nodded. "Though you shouldn't be dobbing in your classmates, Miss Rosenwald." She looked at Skylar over her square spectacles.

"I'm not dobbing Draco in, I'm just telling you what happened today in the class. Hagrid told us not to insult them, and Draco did it anyway, which is why he got injured. It's a crucial piece of information." She defended quickly. She turned to her father. "Dad you're on the governors, I felt it was really important you learnt what happened, and if I have to hand the memory over as evidence to support that Hagrid is not a bad teacher and shouldn't be fired, I will!"

Nathaniel chuckled and walked forwards, placing a hand on her hair. "Don't worry about Hagrid, Sky, I'll look after him. Dumbledore will need to talk to the governors about this, so it's good you let me know so quickly." He confessed.

"What'll happen?"

"Hagrid will have to talk to Dumbledore and to the governors, explain what happened."

"He'll be all right?"

"Promise."

"Can I come? I can tell the governor's what happened."

"No Skylar, it's a matter for the teachers, governors and the Headmaster now."

"But Hagrid needs help, he get's all fumbled when he's nervous." Skylar admitted.

"Sky,"

"Please, I'm a witness."

Nathaniel smiled at his daughter. "I'll let them know that you think Hagrid's a good teacher, but you cannot come. It's not your concern anymore, you've done the all you can." Skylar frowned but she nodded anyway.

"Good girl." Her father smiled. Nathaniel turned to McGonagall. "If you'll excuse me Professor."

"Of course." She nodded and Nathaniel left the room, Skylar turning to watch him.

"Sounds like you had quite the day, Miss Rosenwald." McGonagall said as she walked towards the girl, who turned to face her again.

"Well, not as much as Harry who was told he's going to apparently die." Skylar shrugged.

McGonagall took a breath and nodded. "Then again, when does Potter not have an interesting year." She mumbled and Skylar couldn't help but chuckle as she followed the Professor from the office to go down to the Great Hall for dinner.

Students were walking across the corridors towards dinner and the rumble of talking reached Skylar's ears pretty quickly. When she reached the giant open doors to the large room filled with candles, she paused to the side, looking along the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron and Hermione were already there, all bowed slightly over their foods and glancing at the Staff table. She moved down the isles to sit with them, each with food on their plates but none really eating.

"Sky! Did you talk to your dad?" Ron demanded the second she sat down.

"Of course I did. He was glad I caught him so early, what with a student being injured Dumbledore will have to tell the School Governors." She mumbled, "They're probably all talking to Hagrid with Dumbledore now, dad said they would." She glanced at the table where Hagrid's chair was empty.

"What are they saying?" Harry questioned.

"Well, if I knew, I'd be in Dumbledore's office as a witness, not sitting here eating dinner." Skylar sighed, slumping her chin into the palm of her hand and her elbow onto the table. "I tried to convince my dad but he said it didn't concern me anymore, that I'd done all I could."

"They _wouldn't _fire him, would they?" said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding.

"They'd better not," said Ron, who wasn't eating either.

"I doubt it, I told dad and McGonagall everything, and both my dad and Dumbledore are legilimens, they'll know I'm not lying. It's all Draco's fault for not listening."

"Won't stop his dad." Ron grumbled.

"No, but my dad's on it, and there's no match for Lucius like Nathaniel." Skylar assured. She turned and glanced at the Teacher's table regardless, before pulling some food towards her.

Harry was watching the Slytherin table. A large group, including Crabbe and Goyle, were huddled together, deep in conversation.

"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back," said Ron gloomily.

They went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner and tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given them, Skylar had better luck than even Hermione did, her confidence in her father being higher. The other three however kept breaking off and glancing out of the tower window.

"There's a light on in Hagrid's window," Harry said suddenly.

Ron looked at his watch. "If we hurried, we could go down and see him. It's still quite early…"

"I don't know," Hermione said slowly, and Harry saw her glance at him.

Skylar looked at him as well, but there had been no sights of spectral dogs yet so…

"I'm allowed to walk across the _grounds,_" Harry said pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the dementors yet, has he?"

So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole, glad to meet nobody on their way to the front doors, as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out.

The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight. When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, "C'min."

Hagrid was sitting in his shirtsleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap. One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus.

" 'Spect it's a record," he said thickly, when he recognised them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."

"You haven't been fired, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.

"Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But 's only a matter o' time, i'n't it, after Malfoy…"

"Draco was an idiot and didn't listen to you Hagrid, it's not your fault." Skylar said.

Hagrid looked at her, still frowning. "Yeh Dad said something similar." He muttered, "Wont stop Malfoy's father though."

"How is he?" said Ron as they all sat down. "It wasn't serious, was it?"

"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony… covered in bandages… moanin'…"

"He's faking it," said Harry at once. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth."

"Draco's also rather over dramatic, though." Skylar sighed.

"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left hippogriffs fer later… done flobberworms or summat… Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson… 'S all my fault…"

"It's all _Malfoy__'s _fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly.

"We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

"And I already went to dad straight after the lesson to tell him what happened. We're all on your side." Skylar nodded with a proud grin.

Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed Skylar, Harry and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug.

Skylar gasped as he squeezed them tightly, cutting off their airways and made her bones disagree with the tightness.

"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly. She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it.

"Ar, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Skylar, Harry and Ron, who all staggered away, rubbing their ribs.

"Man…" Skylar whispered, earning a smirk and a nod from Harry. Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione unsteadily outside. They heard a loud splash.

"What's he done?" said Harry nervously as Hermione came back in with the empty tankard.

"Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away.

Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes.

"Tha's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really —"

Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Harry as though he'd only just realised he was there.

"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN' YOU THREE! LETTIN' HIM!"

Hagrid strode over to Harry, grabbed his arm, and pulled him to the door.

"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!"

"What just happened?" Skylar whispered as she, Ron and Hermione hurried after the two. Ron was shaking his head.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

Draco didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning, when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon, his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting almost as though he were the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle.

"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah," said Draco, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But he winked at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away. He turned to look at Skylar and she rose an eyebrow as he smirked at her. She sighed, making sure to be dramatic, before turning back to her cauldron.

Draco looked slightly disappointed.

"Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly.

Harry and Ron scowled at each other; Snape wouldn't have said "settle down" if _they'd _walked in late, he'd have given them detention. But Draco had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes; Snape was head of Slytherin House, and generally favoured his own students above all others.

They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution. Draco set up his cauldron right next to Harry and Ron, across from Skylar, so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table.

"Sir," Draco called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm —"

"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape without looking up.

Ron went brick red.

"There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Draco.

Draco smirked across the table. "Weasley, you heard Professor Snape; cut up these roots."

Ron seized his knife, pulled Draco's roots toward him, and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes.

"Professor," drawled Draco, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."

Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair.

"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley."

"But, sir—!"

Ron had spent the last quarter of an hour carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces.

"_Now,_" said Snape in his most dangerous voice.

Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table at Draco, then took up the knife again.

"And, sir, I'll need this shrivelfig skinned," said Draco, his voice full of malicious laughter.

"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig," said Snape, giving Harry the look of loathing he always reserved just for him.

Harry took Draco's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use. Harry skinned the shrivelfig as fast as he could and flung it back across the table at Draco without speaking. Draco was smirking more broadly than ever.

"Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly.

"None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.

"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," said Draco in a tone of mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury —"

"Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron.

"— he's complained to the school governors. _And _to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this" — he gave a huge, fake sigh — "who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?"

"So that's why you're putting it on," said Harry, accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger. "To try to get Hagrid fired."

"Well," said Draco, lowering his voice to a whisper, "_partly, _Potter. But there are other benefits too. Skylar, slice my caterpillars for me."

"At least say please." She said sweetly with a smile.

Draco eyed her for a moment before he sighed. "Please."

Ron started snickering as Skylar walked around the table and stood beside Draco to cut his things.

"By the way, I talked to my dad after the lesson." She said as she sliced the caterpillars. Draco's smugness diminished slightly. "After all he did take your father's place on the board of governors when he was fired and kicked off." She added casually.

Draco's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. She looked over the sliced caterpillars and smiled at him. "Is that all right?" She wondered.

"You're heading in the wrong direction, Rosenwald." He sneered.

"We'll see." She shrugged before walking back to her cauldron to continue her potion.

A few cauldrons away, Neville was in trouble. Neville regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons; it was his worst subject, and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse. His potion, which was supposed to be a bright, acid green, had turned —

"Orange, Longbottom," said Snape, ladling some up and allowing it to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see. "Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one rat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"

Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.

"Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right —"

"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville. "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."

Snape moved away, leaving Neville breathless with fear.

"Help me!" he moaned to Hermione.

"Hey, Harry," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales, "have you heard? _Daily Prophet _this morning — they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."

"Where?" Asked Harry, Skylar and Ron quickly. On the other side of the table, Draco looked up, listening closely.

"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."

Skylar frowned and glanced at her green potion in front of her. He'd been in Surrey last month and now he was not far off from Hogwarts… he was coming closer. She looked at Harry who glanced at her.

"Not too far from here…," Ron repeated, looking significantly at Harry. He turned around and saw Draco watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?"

But Draco's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed on Harry. He leaned across the table.

"Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?"

"Draco." Skylar snapped, unable to help herself and he looked at her, smirking.

"Yeah, that's right," said Harry offhandedly.

Draco's thin mouth was curving in a mean smile.

"Of course, if it was me," he said quietly, "I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy, I'd be out there looking for him."

Skylar glared at the blonde haired boy.

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" said Ron roughly.

"Don't you _know, _Potter?" breathed Draco, his pale eyes narrowed.

"Know what?"

Draco let out a low, sneering laugh.

"Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck," he said. "Want to leave it to the dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself."

"_What are you talking about_?" said Harry angrily, but at that moment Snape called, "You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's…"

Draco turned to smirk at Skylar who was death glaring him. He looked surprised as his bandaged arm in the sling moved and grabbed a utensil, before he hit himself in the forehead with it. Ron snorted at Draco who blinked and looked confused before he turned to look at Skylar with loathing. She responded with just as much disappointment.

Crabbe and Goyle were laughing openly, watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly. Hermione was muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth, so that Snape wouldn't see. Skylar turned away from Draco as she cleaned her station up. Harry and Ron also packed away their unused ingredients and the three went to wash their hands and ladles in the stone basin in the corner.

"What did Malfoy mean?" Harry muttered to Ron as he stuck his hands under the icy jet that poured from the gargoyle's mouth. "Why would I want revenge on Black? He hasn't done anything to me — yet."

"He's making it up," said Ron savagely. "He's trying to make you do something stupid…"

Skylar looked at the two boys before dropping her gaze. She was swelling with guilt, she knew he'd find out, and why shouldn't he know? And yet she didn't know how to tell him, how did you tell someone that the person who killed your parents had escaped and was after you now?

Harry didn't ask Skylar what Draco meant, and neither did Ron. She turned and went back to her spot at the table, waiting for the class to end.

The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron.

"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned."

The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat.

There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm.

The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown.

"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed."

Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione climbed the steps to the entrance hall. Harry was still thinking about what Draco had said, while Ron was seething about Snape.

"Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right! Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Neville did it all by himself!"

Hermione didn't answer. Skylar and Ron looked around to find that Hermione wasn't with them.

"Where is she?"

They were at the top of the steps now, watching the rest of the class pass them, heading for the Great Hall and lunch. Skylar rose an eyebrow suspiciously.

"She was right behind us," said Ron, frowning.

Draco passed them, walking between Crabbe and Goyle. He smirked at Harry and disappeared.

"There she is," said Harry.

Hermione was panting slightly, hurrying up the stairs; one hand clutched her bag, the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes. Skylar's eyes narrowed slightly.

"How did you do that?" said Ron.

"What?" Said Hermione, joining them.

"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."

"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh — I had to go back for something. Oh no —"

A seam had split on Hermione's bag. It was no surprise; it was crammed with at least a dozen large and heavy books.

"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her.

"You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?" Skylar leaned down to help Hermione pick up the books still on the floor and she looked at the girl. Hermione however was avoiding her gaze.

"But—" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers. "You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defence Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."

"Oh yes," said Hermione vaguely, but she packed all the books back into her bag just the same. "I hope there's something good for lunch, I'm starving," she added, and she marched off toward the Great Hall.

Skylar had gotten back to her feet and stood between Ron and Harry as they watched Hermione vanish beyond the doorway.

"D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something?" Ron asked them.

"Yep." She responded as she crossed her arms.

"What's she up to then?"

"I haven't quite figured it out, but I do know we're not supposed to know about it." Skylar confessed.

"What?" Ron asked confused. Skylar shrugged before she followed Hermione into the Great Hall.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

Professor Lupin wasn't there when they arrived at his first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Everyone sat down, took out their books, quills, and parchment. All but Skylar, who had put her bag on her table and was turned towards the door with curiosity. The class was all talking when Remus finally entered the room. Remus smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

Skylar grinned, pulled her wand out and hurried after Remus. Everyone else was throwing curious looks at one another as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defence Against the Dark Arts before, it made the idea very exciting. The only chance they'd had to face some creatures in class was the memorable class last year, when their old teacher had brought a cageful of pixies to class and set them loose.

"Right then," said Remus, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

Harry, Ron and Hermione joined Skylar at the front of the line before, puzzled but interested, the class followed Remus out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.

Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.

"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin —"

Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Remus to see how he would take this. Skylar was chuckling and Remus turned to smile at her, giving her a wink. He turned back to Peeves.

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms." Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. However, Peeves paid no attention to Remus' words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry.

Remus gave a small sigh and took out his wand.

"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."

He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "_Waddiwasi_!" and pointed it at Peeves.

With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled up-right and zoomed away, cursing.

Skylar was laughing, louder than a few others.

"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.

"Thank you, Dean," said Remus, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"

They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.

"Inside, please," said Remus, opening it and standing back.

The staffroom, a long, panelled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Remus came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this."

He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."

Neville went scarlet. Harry glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers.

Remus had raised his eyebrows.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."

Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap.

"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Remus went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

"Nothing to worry about," said Remus calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a boggart in there."

Skylar grimaced, not feeling much better about this. She had never liked boggarts. She'd had one in one of her draws once, and had opened the draw without knowing. She wasn't the only one to think a boggart was nothing to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Remus. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. _This _one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice.

"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what _is _a boggart?"

Hermione put up her hand and so did Skylar. Of course Remus had helped Skylar with a boggart before and knew she knew the answer. So he pointed to Hermione.

"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Remus, and Hermione glowed. "So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.

"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"

Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting, but Harry had a go.

"Er — because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Precisely," said Remus, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.

"The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is _laughter. _What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.

"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please… _riddikulus_!"

"_Riddikulus_!" said the class together.

"Good," said Remus. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."

The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First thing's first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Remus cheerfully.

Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."

Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Remus, however, looked thoughtful.

"Professor Snape… hmmm… Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Er — yes," said Neville nervously. "But — I don't want the boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Remus, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

Neville looked startled, but said, "Well… always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress… green, normally… and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Remus.

"A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes," said Neville uncertainly, plainly wondering what was coming next.

"When the boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Remus. "And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry '_Riddikulus_' — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."

There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.

"If Neville is successful, the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Remus. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical…"

The last time Skylar had faced a boggart, she'd been only six years old. At that point she'd been scared of inferi, she'd read a book about them and had a nightmare not long after. Her father however had rationalised to her that infer had a weakness, knowing a way she could repel them helped her remove that fear… she wasn't sure if it was still there. When she was three she'd hated the idea of Bowtruckles because their hands were so pointy. Her mother had a bow truckle tree tucked away on their property with the small creatures living in it and she'd always cried when forced to go near it in fear of her eyes being gorged out. She'd moved past that fear by the time she was five at least.

Now however… lately she'd been scared of Sirius Black, but not the threat he posed, the heartbreak that would come from the truth. Her father loosing one of his best friends, and Harry learning what really happened to his parents. And she was scared of what Harry would do when he found out she knew and didn't tell him.

How did that go into a boggart though? Did it take the form of Black?

She looked around at her classmates, many of them had their eyes shut tight and Ron was muttering to himself, "Take it's legs off."

Ron was deathly afraid of spiders.

Harry turned to her and she frowned.

Harry took a step towards her, leaning closer. "What scares you?" He whispered.

"If only I knew…" she whispered, "I've had a few fears across the years but…"

"Everyone ready?" said Remus.

Harry and Skylar looked up worriedly. Harry didn't know how to make a dementor less scary, and Skylar wasn't sure what she feared the most. Everyone else however was nodding and rolling their sleeves up in preparation.

"Neville, we're going to back away," said Remus. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward… Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot —"

They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.

"On the count of three, Neville," said Remus, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One — two — three — _now_!"

A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.

Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.

"_R _— _r _— _riddikulus_!" squeaked Neville.

There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.

There was a roar of laughter; the boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"

Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a blood-stained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising —

"_Riddikulus_!" cried Parvati.

A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.

"Seamus!" roared Remus.

Seamus darted past Parvati.

_Crack_! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floor-length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face — a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that sent a shiver down Skylar's back.

"_Riddikulus_!" shouted Seamus.

The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.

_Crack_! The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then — _crack_! — became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before — _crack_! — becoming a single, bloody eyeball.

"It's confused!" shouted Remus. "We're getting there! Dean!" Dean hurried forward.

_Crack_! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.

"_Riddikulus_!" yelled Dean.

There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.

"Excellent! Ron, you next!"

Ron leapt forward.

_Crack_!

Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, Harry thought Ron had frozen. Then —

"_Riddikulus_!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet. He raised his wand, ready, but —

"Here!" shouted Remus suddenly, hurrying forward.

_Crack_!

The legless spider had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Remus. Skylar noticed it instantly as the moon as her professor said, "_Riddikulus_!" almost lazily.

_Crack_!

"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Remus as the boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach. _Crack_! Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined.

"_Riddikulus_!" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.

"Excellent!" cried Remus as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone… Let me see… five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the boggart — ten for Neville because he did it twice… and five each to Hermione and Harry."

"But I didn't do anything," said Harry.

"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, Harry," Remus said lightly. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on boggarts and summarise it for me… to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Skylar released a breath, a little happy she hadn't had to face the boggart, it was one thing to know what was going to appear before you, it was another to have absolutely no clue.

Harry wasn't feeling cheerful. Remus had deliberately stopped him from tackling the boggart.

"He doesn't think you're weak." Skylar whispered to Harry and he turned to her. Of course she could hear his internal worries.

"Then why'd he stop me?"

"He was worried what your fear would bring out. Imagine if it was You-Know-Who that appeared." She frowned. Harry looked a bit surprised at her.

"Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus.

"And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around.

"And Snape in that hat!"

"And my mummy!"

"I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully.

"That was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.

"He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly. "But I wish I could have had a turn with the boggart —"

"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

In no time at all, Defence Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favourite class.

"I told you he was great!" Skylar grinned.

Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin.

"Look at the state of his robes," Draco would say in a loud whisper as Remus passed. "He dresses like our old house-elf."

But no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblinlike creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to kappas, creepy water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.

Of course not all of their classes were as good. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt as to why. The story of the boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had traveled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever.

It didn't help that the two teachers had never gotten along while in school together.

"Snape hated Remus even before such embarrassment, before Remus even got the job." Skylar confessed to Ron, Harry and Hermione. "They were at school together after all."

Skylar was thoroughly enjoying her Ancient Runes class, though it wasn't an easy subject. She was learning a new language after all.

What get her very interested about the class however, was Hermione. Hermione would go with her to Ancient Runes, while the two boys had a free period, and as they'd be moving off for their next class, Hermione would vanish. She'd turn up coming from the wrong direction or as if she'd backtracked her path. She did it quite a lot, after potions, especially before Transfiguration. Skylar had noticed it was whenever she had a double up of classes. And a lot of the time, she'd been fiddling with her robes as she appeared. Skylar wanted to know what was going on, but had also found herself being pulled in two directions, because she knew Hermione wasn't telling them for a reason. It was this reason why she hadn't asked the girl about it yet.

Apparently Divination wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and Skylar was glad she never chose the subject. Harry complained to her about the hot, stifling tower room where they deciphered lopsided shapes and symbols. Apparently Professor Trelawney's eyes filled with tears every time she saw Harry, still thinking he was going to die.

"It's irritating. She can't even look at me normally without giving me some poor look." Harry grumbled.

"Seems like a lot of effort for an act, how can she be bothered?" Skylar wondered.

Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunchtimes, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things the others didn't. They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to Harry, as though he were on his deathbed.

Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull. Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence.

"Why would anyone _bother _looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' slimy throats.

"Remember, it was one of the suggestions the governors made to him on the first day." Skylar sighed. "They put the idea into his head."

Skylar's Occlumency lessons were moved to once a month after the first two weeks. She was bordering on the end of her lessons according to Dumbledore and didn't need them as often. Her Occlumency was moving along, but it had become clear she'd always be a better legilimens.

October meant Halloween was approaching, but before that, the Quidditch season would also begin. Harry was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team along with six other players. Oliver Wood was the Captain of the team, and he sort Harry out to call a meeting for one Thursday night. Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts.

There were seven people on a Quidditch team: three Chasers, whose job it was to score goals by putting the Quaffle (a red, soccer-sized ball) through one of the fifty-foot-high hoops at each end of the field; two Beaters, who were equipped with heavy bats to repel the Bludgers (two heavy black balls that zoomed around trying to attack the players); a Keeper, who defended the goal posts, and the Seeker, who had the hardest job of all, that of catching the Golden Snitch, a tiny, winged, walnut-sized ball, whose capture ended the game and earned the Seeker's team an extra one-hundred and fifty points.

The team started training three evenings a week, despite the weather getting colder and wetter. The nights were darkening as the mud increased, the wind blew and the rain fell down. None of it seemed to dampen the teams' spirits.

"I don't understand how they can still be so cheerful when they get so cold and dirty." Skylar mumbled as she had her head tilted to the side, leaning her ear into the palm of her hand. Her star chart was in front of her as she, Hermione and Ron were filling them out.

"How can you not be cheerful, it's quidditch?" Ron responded.

"Training isn't nearly the same as playing a game." Skylar believed. "It's missing the energy of the crowd for a start."

"Fred and George said Wood was really determined, after all we should have won the cup the last two years but haven't." Ron said.

"Well, it was cancelled last year what with the petrified victims and the year before You-Know-Who almost killed Harry. It couldn't be helped." Skylar shrugged.

"Hey guys," Seamus walked up to them grinning.

"What's up Seamus?" Skylar wondered.

"Did you see the notice? The first Hogsmeade weekend has been announced." Seamus grinned and the three turned to the noticeboard to see a group of people around it.

"When is it?" Hermione wondered.

"Halloween." Dean grinned as he appeared as Seamus' shoulder. The two were almost never apart.

"Seriously?" Skylar grinned and Seamus nodded.

"Excellent." Ron beamed.

"I can't wait to see the village, it's got so much historical significance." Hermione smiled.

"How about the chance to get out of the castle? With the dementors around the boundary it's like being in quarantine." Skylar rolled her eyes.

"I can't wait to visit honeydukes!" Ron grinned.

"They have the best sweets." The five turned to see Nick behind them with Leon. "Zonko's is more worth a visit though."

"I can't believe you all get to go." Leon frowned.

"You only have to wait a year Leo." Skylar chuckled, "Besides it's not like none of your friends will be here, and the castle will be quiet and empty."

"Big deal, a trip to the Three Broomsticks always sounds better. Apparently Madam Rosmetta has the best butterbeer." Leon grinned.

"If she lets me take some I'll bring you some back." Skylar chuckled.

The portrait hole opened and Harry walked into the room. He looked rather cheerful as he looked around for the three. They were sitting in the best air chairs by the fireside.

"What's happened?" he wondered when he noticed the buzz of excitement throughout the room.

"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."

"Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Harry through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."

Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron, it was clear he was now disappointed. He after all couldn't go to the village. Hermione also noticed his loss in excitement.

"Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," she said. "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."

Skylar frowned. She highly doubted it, they were looking for a man after all, not a black dog.

"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry. The next one might not be for ages —"

"_Ron_!" said Hermione. "Harry's supposed to stay _in school _—"

"He can't be the only third year left behind," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry —"

"Yeah, I think I will," said Harry, making up his mind.

"Are you sure?" Skylar asked and Ron looked at her annoyed. "Well, she's bound to say no, if you don't tell her you can at least try to forge a signature or something." She shrugged.

"He could give it to your dad to give to your mum, she was supposed to sign it over the break anyway." Ron grinned.

Skylar frowned. "I don't think they would sign it, for the same reason McGonagall wont let him go."

"Come off it, it's Hogsmeade." Ron said.

Hermione opened her mouth to argue some more, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth. Meridiem was with him and she meowed before brushing against Skylar's leg.

"Hello Meridiem, where have you and Crookshanks been then?" she asked as she picked the bright white cat up and onto her lap.

"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said Ron, scowling.

"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Hermione.

Crookshanks slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron.

"Just keep him over there, that's all," said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag."

"Why don't you leave him in the dormitory?" Skylar questioned as Harry yawned.

"He needs care." Ron responded.

"He'd likely get better care asleep in the dormitory than being carried around the noisy school." Skylar believed. "And Crookshanks can't get to him in there." Harry was pulling his bag towards him to begin doing his own star chart. The movement caught Ron's attention and gave him the excuse not to come up with a healthy reason to keep Scabbers on him, rather than in the dormitory.

"You can copy mine, if you like," said Ron, labelling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart toward Harry.

Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips but didn't say anything. Skylar smirked slightly at the bushy-haired girl as she rolled up her own finished star chart and put it in her bag. Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then, without warning, he pounced.

"OY!" Ron roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"

Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing. Meridiem growled uncertainly but didn't move from Skylar's lap as the girl hung on to her just in case the white animal decided to pounce too.

"Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione; the whole common room was watching; Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top —

"CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified Scabbers.

George Weasley made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw.

Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail.

"Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"

"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" said Hermione, her voice shaking. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"

"Skylar's cat didn't move an inch!" Ron snapped pointing towards her.

"Meridiem's been around Scabbers longer." Hermione returned.

"There's something funny about that animal!" said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. "It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!"

"Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione impatiently. "Crookshanks could _smell _him, Ron, how else d'you think —"

"That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. "And Scabbers was here first, _and _he's ill!"

Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

"Wow…" Skylar mumbled as Hermione stormed over, began to collect her things, and with Crookshanks under one arm, she marched for the dormitories as well.

"This isn't going to end any time soon is it?" Harry said.

"Doubtful."

"It is weird Crookshanks went after Scabbers and Meridiem didn't." Harry thought.

"Well, honestly, Meridiem and Scabbers are hardly ever in the room together." Skylar said thinking. "And she did growl at the charade."

"Maybe she's just too delicate." Harry chuckled. Skylar rose an eyebrow and Harry grinned.

"Or prideful." she added, stroking the cat who was staring off after Ron and Hermione.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Harry, Skylar and Hermione were working together on the same puffapod.

"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.

"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.

"Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.

"I always wondered how my mother grew such flowers so quickly." Skylar said as she eyed the plants. "I always thought it was a growth spell."

"Or special beans." Harry said, "You know muggles have a fairy tale about magic beans that grow a giant beanstalk, and a giant lives at the top of it." He said.

Ron and Skylar blinked at Harry in surprise.

"Yes, Jack and the Beanstalk." Hermione nodded.

"A giant at the top of a bean stalk?" Skylar asked, "What kind of story is that?"

"It's a children's story." Hermione shrugged. "One of the few that doesn't involve a princess."

Ron and Skylar shared an unsure look as she continued to strip the peas into the pale.

"I think I like our stories." Skylar mumbled and Ron nodded.

"At least they're more realistic."

They had Transfiguration next. Harry had resolved that this class was the one he'd ask McGonagall at for permission to go to Hogsmeade. He spent the walk back into the castle and towards the classroom mulling over the words he intended to use.

He didn't have much luck.

"What do I say?" he muttered to Skylar as they joined the line outside the class with the rest of the Gryffindors.

"I don't know what you can say? There's nothing that can really convince her with the circumstances." She said thinking. Harry looked disappointed. "This is McGonagall we're talking about remember. She's not Lockhart." Harry rolled his eyes at her as she smirked.

They were distracted, however, by a disturbance at the front of the line.

Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.

"What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously as she, Harry, Skylar, and Ron went to join the group.

"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."

"Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."

"Oh dear." Skylar frowned.

"I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"

"Er—"

"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!"

"Who?" Skylar whispered to Ron beside her.

"Trelawney." he responded. "She told Lavender that in our first lesson." Skylar nodded with an 'Ohh'.

The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then she said, "You — you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?"

"Well, not necessarily by a _fox,_" said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was _obviously _dreading him dying, wasn't I?"

"Oh," said Hermione. She paused again. Then — "Was Binky an _old _rabbit?"

"N — no!" sobbed Lavender. "H — he was only a baby!" Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders.

"But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione.

Parvati glared at her.

"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today —" Lavender wailed loudly. "— and she _can't _have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock —"

"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."

"Ron, that was unnecessary." Skylar snapped.

Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into class, they seated themselves on either side of Harry and Skylar and didn't talk to each other for the whole class.

Skylar and Harry shared a look as Hermione set up her station ready to take notes and Ron was brooding on Harry's other side.

"I still don't know what to say?" Harry changed the topic back to his initial issue.

"How about, you remind her of your terrible family, of the blowing up of the aunt situation, and then offer if there's anything that can be done to help you get to Hogsmeade?" Skylar offered as McGonagall started the lesson.

"Doesn't sound very convincing. And I'd rather not remember the blowing-up-of-the-aunt situation."

"Come on, isn't it laughable yet?" Skylar sighed.

"I was lucky."

"You overreact." Skylar mumbled, "But if you're not going to plead for pity, what more can you do?" she asked.

Harry had nothing. And this hadn't changed by the end of the lesson. He sat there steeling himself to figure out how to ask the professor when Professor McGonagall brought up Hogsmeade herself just as the bell rang.

"One moment, please!" She called as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"

Neville put up his hand.

"Please, Professor, I — I think I've lost —"

"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."

"Ask her now," Ron hissed at Harry.

"Oh, but —" Hermione began.

"Go for it, Harry," said Ron stubbornly, cutting Hermione off.

Harry waited for the rest of the class to disappear, then headed nervously for Professor McGonagall's desk.

"Yes, Potter?"

Harry took a deep breath as Ron and Skylar stood just behind him, supportively.

"Professor, my aunt and uncle — er — forgot to sign my form," he said.

Professor McGonagall looked over her square spectacles at him but didn't say anything.

"So — er — d'you think it would be all right — I mean, will it be okay if I — if I go to Hogsmeade?"

Professor McGonagall looked down and began shuffling papers on her desk.

"I'm afraid not, Potter," she said. "You heard what I said. No form, no visiting the village. That's the rule."

"But — Professor, my aunt and uncle — you know, they're Muggles, they don't really understand about — about Hogwarts forms and stuff," Harry said, while Ron egged him on with vigorous nods. "If you said I could go —"

"But I don't say so," said Professor McGonagall, standing up and piling her papers neatly into a drawer. "The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission." She turned to look at him, with an odd expression on her face. Was it pity? "I'm sorry, Potter, but that's my final word. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson."

They left the classroom defeated.

"We should have known, she's McGonagall." Skylar sighed.

There was nothing to be done. Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an "all-for-the-best" expression that made Ron even angrier, and Harry had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first, once they got into Hogsmeade.

"Harry, if you'd like, I'll stay with you." Skylar said and he and Ron looked at her surprised.

"You'll miss Hogsmeade?"

"There's always another trip Ron and it's just a village." Skylar confessed frowning. She turned back to Harry. "I'd hate you to be here by yourself."

"Don't be silly Sky, you got permission you should go." Harry said.

"I know you'd prefer to not be alone." She said crossing her arms. Harry chuckled. "I'm a legilimens, I can see what it's like from everyone else. Nick has already given Leon and I a full run through after all."

"It's not the same." Hermione added.

"It's just a village."

"Thanks Sky, but I'd feel worse if you missed out for me." Harry said.

"There's always the feast," said Ron. "You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening."

"As long as there isn't a troll in the dungeon or a giant snake petrifying people, it'll be great." Skylar added and the four of them sat laughing, Harry included.

Harry put on his best face for his three friends but his disappointment of being left behind continued to etch through enough for them to notice. Despite how he felt, he wouldn't let himself allow Skylar to stay with him, no matter how many times she offered. Dean also offered to forge Harry's Uncle's signature, but as McGonagall already knew the form hadn't been signed, this was no good. Ron continued to try and get Harry to come, going as far as to suggesting the invisibility cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the dementors being able to see through them. Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort.

"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Harry, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweetshop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Harry, apart from that, you're not missing anything."

"Don't worry Harry, I can't go yet, I'm happy to spend the day with you. We could play Quidditch if you'd like." Leon grinned as he sat with them one evening.

"Depending on the weather." Ron added.

Skylar hit him.

"Quidditch runs rain, hail or shine, a bit of water wont hurt." Leon said rolling his eyes.

"You're a dedicated fan Leo." Skylar nodded seriously, earning a grin from her younger brother.

"Homework would be a better way to spend your time." Hermione said as she was pouring over some essay she had due.

"Not everyone's doing as many subjects as you Hermione, we like to think of other ways to spend our time than always working." Leon chuckled, earning a snicker from his sister as Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well, if anything, I'd say go talk to Remus, after all, he did know your parents." Skylar smiled. "And you can talk to him about the whole boggart thing while you're at it."

Harry nodded to her as he remembered the boggart lesson from the beginning of term.

"What boggart thing?" Hermione asked, looking confused.

"I'm surprised you even need to ask." Skylar sighed.

"We can't all read minds you know." Hermione grumbled and Leon and Skylar shared a smirk.

"I suppose she's a bit busy to notice," Leon shrugged and Hermione's eyes narrowed at the two.

"Well, we need to concoct a list of things to bring Harry back at the very least." Skylar said thinking.

"Sweets from Honeydukes." Ron shrugged.

"Imaginative." Skylar rolled her eyes.

"I don't see why you don't just write to your mother demanding she do something." Ron said.

"Because I know exactly what it'll say; 'Harry's safer in the school and until we're aware of Black's movements it's best he isn't wondering about, you know the dangers and the specialities of Black what with your father having known him. I wont be putting Harry in any more danger, you know what it's been like the last two years, the last thing we need is to throw him into the pit.' Or something like that." Skylar recited.

"I thought what with your dad being here they'd be less worried." Ron said.

"Ha." Skylar and Leon chorused.

"Lily and James sacrificed themselves for Harry, my parents are refusing to do anything that might risk that being wasteful." Skylar sighed. Harry dropped his gaze, how could he argue with something like that? Even if he did think it unlikely Black would show up in Hogsmeade.

"Remember the last time someone tried to protect Harry's life? He missed the train and had his arm broken." Ron said.

"I think my parents are a bit better at tact than a house elf." Skylar mumbled, earning a chuckle from those around her.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23:

Skylar couldn't help but wake up on Halloween morning with excitement. She made her way down to breakfast with Ron, Hermione and Harry, Harry trying his best to act normally, despite him missing out on visiting the village.

He wasn't fooling anyone.

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for him.

"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's difficulties.

"Don't worry about me," said Harry, "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."

"I don't think we will." Skylar shrugged and the three looked at her. "There's no way it's going to be that good if we're not all going together." She said crossing her arms. Harry smiled slightly at her.

He accompanied the three to the Entrance Hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.

"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the dementors?"

Harry ignored him and made his solitary way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower.

"I do feel for him." Skylar frowned.

"But now that he's out of earshot…" Ron mumbled, "Where should we go first?"

"Well, I have a list of all the shops there are in the town." Hermione grinned.

"Of course you do." Skylar and Ron chorused.

Filch peered into everyone's faces as he marked off their names, trying to find people sneaking out, or any reason to punish a student, before he allowed them to pass him for the front steps.

They followed those before them, who were walking down the front steps and for the lane which they'd travelled from Hogsmeade station.

"We're walking?" Ron asked.

"They always get us to walk to Hogsmeade." The three turned to find Nick, Fred and George behind them.

"It's not far past the station actually." Fred nodded.

"It's not a bad walk if it's nice weather." George agreed before the three past them.

Skylar moved first and Hermione and Ron followed her as they went with everyone else down the lane. The lane wound down the slope, away from the castle and around the Black Lake. Eventually the familiar station that the Hogwarts Express stopped and left from came into view, as well as the wide road where the coaches had waited for them.

As they passed the station the three of them caught glimpses of the buildings not far off, the cottages with thatches roofs. The shops had timber framing, brick walls and many windows to look in through. They passed a couple of buildings before there was a path that led away, a sign pointed down it saying 'Shrieking Shack'.

"Ooh! Let's go!" Hermione grinned.

"We can do that later on the way back Hermione." Skylar smiled. "Let's see the village first."

The next building they came to, was Honeydukes.

"Can we go in?" Ron asked looking in through the window.

"And spend all your money instantly?" Skylar smiled and she tugged on his jacket to continue looking. A pub sat opposite Honeydukes with the label of The Three Broomsticks hanging over the door. Many people were disappearing into a shop labeled Zonko's Joke Shop. There was a tea shop called Madam Puddlefoots. Hogsmeade had its own postoffice, absolutely filled with the sound of owls, many swooping in and out and past the window as they passed it. There was Scrivenshafts Quill shop and Dervish and Banges of magical equipments. Many houses littered amongst the village and a few roads wound off of the main street, which faded away as it left the train station.

"Come on, let's go in Dervish and Banges!" and Ron dragged the two girls into the shop first.

The shop was filled with many equipments, including sneakerscopes like the one Harry had. The man behind the counter greeted them all and they moved over to see what he was fixing, as he fixed broken equipment as well as sold new ones.

They ducked into the cauldron shop and looked at all the different types; pewter, silver, copper, even some gold ones. The post office was magnificent, more than a hundred owls filled the room, which was completely lined with shelves, the owls all perching on them. The shelves were all labeled, some with speeds, some with distances.

"You can choose how fast you want your parcel delivered!" Ron grinned.

"Well, if you ever have any doubt about Errol again." Skylar laughed.

Zonko's was next, the store was a magical joke shop absolutely filled with all different types of items, including Dungbombs, Hiccough sweets, Frog Spawn Sugar, Sugar Quills and Nose-biting teacups. Fred and George were found in here with Lee Jordan and Nick.

"Well, hello new comers." Nick said before laughing.

"You're sooo hilarious." Skylar mocked rolling her eyes. "Go away, I want Sugar Quills." She grinned as she moved over to the shelf.

The twins, Nick and Lee, left with a large pile of equipment in their arms as Skylar grabbed some quills and Ron a few dungbombs.

"I need something for Fred and George." He shrugged.

"I think they just walked out with all of those." Hermione reminded him.

"Too bad." Ron shrugged.

"We don't know if we're going to go back before Christmas, we really should think about presents." Skylar nodded before she gasped. "Leon would love one of those!" and she moved over to a pair of hover shoes.

"Doesn't he fly enough?" Hermione wondered.

"He'd disagree." Skylar shrugged.

"We've got to go to The Three Broomsticks." Ron said, "I'm dying to try the butterbeer."

"Oh me too, and Nick said it's perfect for a warm up." Skylar agreed. There was a chilly breeze in the air as they moved closer to Christmas, the students were lucky that Halloween turned out to be such a brilliantly sunny day, and not wet and muddy like it had been so far.

A few choice items in their pockets, the three moved from the joke shop and moved across the street to the pub, which was bustling with noise before they even opened the door. The pub was indeed filled, but not just of Hogwarts students. Many people sat at the tables, adults the students had never seen before, it reminded Skylar a lot of the Leaky Cauldron, only it was warmer in here than the Leaky Cauldron, and rather smoky.

"Look!" Ron nudged her and she turned to follow her finger. "Is that an Ogre!?"

"Ron!" Hermione hissed as he spoke rather loudly.

"If he's not you don't want him to hear you calling him one." Skylar muttered as they moved for a table.

Ron paused halfway forwards and the two girls had removed their coats and sat down before noticing he was still standing a little ways off.

"Ron?" Skylar said and he jumped and turned to her. She rose an eyebrow before he cleared his throat and came to join them.

"Are you all right?" Hermione questioned him.

"Course." He responded, but his face was a bit pink. Hermione rose a suspicious eyebrow and turned to Skylar who followed were Ron had been staring. Behind the bar was a curvy women with a rather pretty face, clearly the owner as there were moments where she called for her bartenders and waitresses.

"Wow, you know she's rather pretty." Skylar said with a mocking grin.

"W-Who?" Ron asked trying to look indifferent.

"Uh-huh." Skylar smirked as she sat down. Hermione was rolling her eyes at the boy's antics. The women moved around her pub before she ventured towards the three's table.

"Well, some new faces I see." She smiled at them. "Third years I presume?"

"Yes." They answered.

"Well, welcome to my pub, I'm Rosmerta." She looked at them all before pausing on Skylar. "Well, you're the spitting image of a student I used to know."

"I don't suppose her name was Dominique." Skylar chuckled.

"As a matter of fact, Dominique Fawley, married that Rosenwald boy. Quite a handsome kid if I do admit."

Skylar chuckled as Ron gazed at the bartender. "I'm Skylar, their daughter."

"Well, you'll be Nick's sister then, quite the customer at Zonko's according to Bilton Bilmes. Along with those Weasley twins, loves to come in and admit how they keep his business going."

"This is Ron, the twins' younger brother, and our friend Hermione." Skylar introduced.

"Well, it's a pleasure to have you three here, is there anything I can get for you?"

"We'd love to try your butterbeer." Skylar beamed.

"Easy enough, three butterbeers coming right up." And she flashed them a smile before moving off for another table and the bar.

"Oh, she's lovely." Skylar said, putting on an accent.

"I didn't think the shop owners would gossip about Hogwarts students." Hermione said, a bit of a disapproving tone to her voice.

"What else are they going to do? I bet they spent the last two years gossiping about the basilisk attacks and the troll." Skylar confessed with a shrug.

Madam Rosmerta came back and with a smile she placed three tankards on the table. "Here you are, enjoy."

"Thank you." The three smiled.

They each took a sip of the drink. It was the most delicious drink Skylar had ever had, and the warmth from the liquid seemed to heat every inch of her from the inside.

"These are amazing!" Skylar beamed, "So much better than normal butterbeer, Rosmerta should deliver it out."

"You've had butterbeer before?" Hermione asked.

"My dad actually gave making it a try once." Skylar snickered. "It wasn't anything like this though."

"Honeydukes next right?" Ron beamed.

"Well, do you want to do Honeydukes and then the shrieking shack? Bearing in mind you'll have to go to the Shrieking Shack with your arms full of sweets?" Skylar wondered, "Or would you rather leave Honeydukes till last?"

"I almost feel like you don't want to go?"

"If it's the best, it should be last, then we can spend as much time as we like picking out sweets for Christmas and for Harry." Skylar grinned. "We are not going back empty handed after all." She took another sip of the butterbeer and sighed contently at the lovely substance. "Besides, I want to see the haunted house." After all, she had heard about it from her family before, it was time she saw what they were all going on about.

"Fine, let's go look at the most haunted building in Britain and put off Honeydukes." Ron said sounding annoyed. The two girls shared a smirk as he drank his butterbeer and watched the bartender.

"Hey Sky," Skylar turned around and saw Theodore Nott walking past with a group of Slytherins, Draco was sitting in the far corner with Crabbe and Goyle in which they seemed to be heading to.

"Theo." She nodded her head in acknowledgement. She eyed the Slytherins as Draco was snickering before the newcomers sat down.

"Why'd he bother acknowledging you?" Ron asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" Skylar wondered.

With their drinks finished the three headed back out into the chill wind and back up the main street. They passed Honeydukes before turning down the lane and climbing a small hill. There was a fence around a building, which had its windows and doors all boarded up, making it look eery despite the weather.

"Most haunted building in Britain…" Skylar mumbled, her hands on her hips as they looked at the wooden structure. It was built behind the main street of Hogsmeade and away from the other buildings, sitting all by itself.

"Wonder what happened to make it so haunted?" Ron said.

"The locals used to hear shrieking and crying coming from the building. Lots of yells and shouts." Hermione said.

"Yeah but, did anyone die there, or just move in?" Ron wondered.

None answered.

"I was kinda expecting… more." Skylar admitted. "It's amazing how a place can have been empty for so long and never touched, yet become so famous just because of sounds in the night."

"I think hearing ghosts makes it pretty impressive, how many ghosts do you know make that much noise?" Ron asked.

"I never said it was ghosts who were making the noises." Skylar shrugged. Hermione and Ron shared a confused look as Skylar grinned. "So, Honeydukes?" She offered.

The sweets store was filled with Hogwarts students, all crammed in around the shelves, trying tasters that had been put out and pushing their way to the counter to buy several items.

Hermione, Ron and Skylar all beamed at the shop. There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-coloured toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavour Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, levitating sherbert balls; along yet another wall were "Special Effects" sweets: Drooble's Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-coloured bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ("breathe fire for your friends!"), Ice Mice ("hear your teeth chatter and squeak!"), peppermint creams shaped like toads ("hop realistically in the stomach!"), fragile sugar-spun quills, and exploding bonbons.

"Look! Free fudge samples!" Ron disappeared into the crowd and the two girls moved to try and follow him. They all tried the fudge, apparently Honeydukes had gotten in some new flavours. Ron took some and, grabbing some paper from one of the shelves available to wrap candy in, he wrapped up some of the fudge to put in his pocket.

"Where do we even start?" Skylar wondered.

"By the door, let's go around." Hermione strategised.

And so they did, they looked at all the different sweets, pulling off items that caught their attention, putting some back just to pick up another. Skylar continued to hand things to Ron as she got excited by the items and he ended up with a handful of items that she'd dumped on him.

"Sky, I'm not your slave, you can carry some yourself." He said annoyed. Skylar and Hermione couldn't help but laugh at him before they each took some of the load.

"Is there anything you don't want that I grabbed?" Skylar wondered.

"Are you paying for it?" Ron asked cautiously.

"Of course, I chose them all?" She said obviously.

"Then we'll take it all!" Ron grinned.

"Ron!" Hermione scolded as Skylar laughed.

The three didn't leave the sweetshop until the sun was beginning to disappear beyond the mountains.

"I didn't realise how late it was…" Hermione worried. They each had arms filled with sweets as the girl began to lead the way back towards Hogwarts.

"I told you going to Honeydukes last would be the best option." Skylar said to Ron.

"Not sure about carrying all this back to school though." Ron grumbled.

"Well, if I hadn't paid for most of it, I'd say feel free to leave it behind." Skylar rolled her eyes.

"That would be a terrible waste." Ron shot and Skylar shrugged.

"Don't complain then."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

Many students were making their way back to the great castle as the day was coming to a close, a few third years were seen with arms ladened like Hermione, Skylar and Ron's were after their first visit to Hogsmeade.

"Do you need a hand?" Skylar turned around to find a boy smiling at her. She recognised him as he was in his third year with them at the school. Hermione and Ron had stopped also as Skylar recognised his face as she looked him over. He was a Ravenclaw, and she was rather sure he was in her Ancient Runes class.

"Uh, I think I'm alright." She smiled. As she said that she adjusted one of her arms, only for one of the packages on top to tumble off. The brown-haired boy caught it before it could hit the ground. "Or not…" she mumbled.

"Here." He took a few of the boxes and began to walk, smiling at her. Ron looked at Hermione unsurely who was giggling to herself as Skylar rose an eyebrow. She hurried to follow the boy and Ron and Hermione did also.

"Uh… it's…" she paused for a minute and the boy rose an eyebrow at her amused. "Stephen." She smiled.

"Legilimens strikes again." He grinned.

"I could have actually remembered it." She admitted and he nodded, unable to deny that. "Thanks for this." She smiled.

"Well, you looked like you had a bit much to yourself, did you buy all this today?"

"Well, since we're third years and none of us have ever been to Hogsmeade before, I'm gonna say yes." She said smartly.

"Who is this dude?" Ron asked Hermione quietly,

"Stephen Cornfoot, he's in our Ancient Runes class." Hermione smiled.

"So? What's he bugging us for?"

"Oh Ron, you have to ask?" Hermione said matter-of-factly. Ron still looked confused. "He fancies Skylar." She said obviously. "I've seen him watching her in class a few times."

"Isn't that creepy?" Ron muttered. Hermione rolled her eyes at him as the castle came into view and they made a beeline for the front entrance.

"Well, thanks for helping me." Skylar said as she paused at the marble staircase. Stephen turned to face her. "I think I can manage to carry them to the dormitory."

"You sure?" He asked and she looked at him annoyed. He chuckled and began to pile what he had back into her arms. "All right then."

"Thank you." She smiled as several more students entered the entrance hall.

"What's this, got a slave there Skylar?" The four all turned to see Draco Malfoy as he smirked, moving forwards with Crabbe and Goyle flanking him as usual.

"Careful Draco, your jealousy is showing." She smiled and Draco's cheeks tinted pink.

He scoffed. "Jealous? Of… Who even are you?" He demanded of Stephen.

"You'd think you'd recognise a member of a pureblood family when you see one, given how obsessed you are about lineages." Skylar rolled her eyes at him. "Thanks Stephen."

"See you at the feast." He nodded and cast Draco a look before he moved up the stairs.

Draco stared after him before looking at Skylar who smiled. She turned back to Hermione and Ron who were looking highly amused. "Shall we?" and they turned to follow Stephen up the staircase and for the Gryffindor common room.

"It might be weird that Malfoy has a crush on you, but man it's amusing to watch." Ron snickered.

"If he wasn't Malfoy, I might feel bad for his feelings." Hermione said thinking.

"Come off it!" Ron said.

"I said if he wasn't Malfoy." She reminded him. She then turned to smile at Skylar. "But that Stephen was nice."

"He was wasn't he, although I'm sure I didn't need his help." Skylar said.

"Not the point." Hermione grinned, looking satisfied.

"You're like a different person." Ron mumbled to Hermione.

"This is Hermione's 'superior girl mode'." Skylar sighed.

"Superior…" Ron looked confused at her.

"Don't even bother." Skylar assured as they climbed to the seventh floor corridor, walking along it to come to the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Fortuna Major." The portrait swing forward and the three walked in.

"Harry!" Hermione spotted him first, sitting in a couch by the fire, and turning to them at his name. The three walked towards him and dropped the items in their hands.

"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."

The shower of brilliantly coloured sweets fell into Harry's lap.

"More than we could carry actually." Skylar said, looking proud.

"Thanks," said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"

Ron launched into the highlights of their day, talking about the different buildings, Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and all the others.

"The post office, Harry! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all colour-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"

"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look —"

"We _think _we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks —"

"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up —"

"Honestly though, now we've done it all, what's the point in going back." Skylar said as Harry was feeling the jealous at not being able to join them. Skylar having broken up their rant, the other two remembered this fact and turned back to Harry.

"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," said Harry. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office." Harry turned to Skylar, "By the way, you were right about the boggart thing."

"Durr." She said smiling, crossing her arms proudly.

"And then Snape came in, he had a goblet with some smoking potion in it which he gave to Lupin. He told him to drink it straight, apparently it's to help Lupin, said he's ill or something,"

Ron's mouth fell open. "_Lupin drank it_?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"

"If you want Remus to be a teacher here Ron, he's got to drink the potion, it's the only thing that can help him." Skylar said.

The two boys stared at her.

"You knew Snape was making Professor Lupin potions?" Harry asked.

"Well, no one else is going to do it, my mother makes it for him when he's at our house." Skylar smiled.

"We're talking about Snape, who hate's Lupin!" Ron said.

Skylar rolled her eyes. The potion must have been the wolfsbane potion, a drink that kept a werewolf sane when they changed, allowing them to be harmless to those around them, unlike their usual nature to hunt whoever got in their way.

Hermione checked her watch. "We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes…"

They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.

"But if he — you know" — Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around — "if he _was _trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry."

"Yeah, maybe," said Harry as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall.

"I don't think you have to worry, Snape wouldn't dare under Dumbledore's nose." Skylar smiled.

"What is the potion anyway Skylar?" Ron wondered.

"I don't know, I wasn't there." Skylar shrugged.

"Then how'd you know it's what your mum makes?" Ron questioned.

"Who knows." She said. Hermione cast her a suspicious look and Skylar rose an eyebrow. "What? You're not telling me how you attend three classes scheduled at the same time, you can't give me that look."

Hermione didn't say anything.

The Great Hall had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes.

The food was delicious, no matter how many sweets a person had eaten during their Hogsmeade visit, there was still room for at least two servings of everything, a fact in which Skylar, Ron and Hermione proved, even with them bursting with Honeydukes sweets. Harry kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Harry moved his eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat.

"Harry, chill," Skylar said.

"What was the potion?"

"It's to help Remus."

"Why don't you just tell me?"

"It's not for me to say." She said simply.

The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading.

It had been such a pleasant evening that Harry's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Draco, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The dementors send their love, Potter!"

Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.

Harry peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed.

"Sky, what's happening?" he asked her and she glanced around at a few people.

"No one can get in…" she mumbled.

"Why?" Ron questioned.

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password — excuse me, I'm Head Boy —"

And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

Skylar's eyes narrowed and several people in front of her began to side step slightly, allowing her to peer forwards.

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tip-toe.

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived with Leon.

"Why's everyone in the corridor?" Leon wondered.

Skylar suddenly gasped and everyone looked at her as she turned to them.

"The painting's been vandalised!" She said.

"What?" Ron questioned.

"The Fat Lady, she's gone." Skylar said.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Skylar, followed by Harry, Ron, and Hermione, moved closer to see better.

"Oh, my —" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.

Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.

"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing," he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing…"

One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.

The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.

Skylar had her arms around her, she felt cold. Sirius Black had gotten to the Gryffindor Common room, he'd gotten all the way to the portrait, he'd gotten into the school!

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"C'mon," Ron said to Harry, Skylar and Hermione. The three moved, but Skylar seemed stuck, she was standing still and staring at the floor as if in a daze. Harry noticed her when she didn't move for a sleeping back and he tugged on her arm. She blinked and turned to him, her face was rather white and he frowned. She shook her head and walked past him, moving after the other two to seize a sleeping bag, before they dragged them into a corner.

She didn't say anything… she couldn't fathom words.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously as they sat down.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower…" Skylar rested her head on her arms, looking at the floor as she was huddled in her sleeping bag. It was strange that it happened tonight, when the entire common room was empty.

"Sky," the four looked up as Nick and Leon moved over to them with sleeping bags, and they all moved slightly to allow the two to sit on either side of their sister.

"Sky," Leon frowned as he looked at the girl.

"I'm fine." She whispered and Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at her as she lowered her gaze down again. She didn't look fine, she looked as white as a sheet.

She was terrified. He got into the castle… not just the grounds, the castle! Of course he got past the dementors, he would have been a dog, but the castle? How could it be so easy?

"He got in so easily." She whispered. "What if he'd waited? We would have all been out in the halls? Or asleep in the dormitories?"

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realise it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

Hermione shuddered.

But if Black had come in through the front entrance, he would have heard all the noise of the feast… Skylar frowned. What if he'd been on the grounds today? When they'd all been in Hogsmeade?

All around them, people were asking one another the same question: "_How did he get in_?"

"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away. "Just appear out of thin air, you know."

"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year.

"He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.

"Honestly, am I the _only _person who's ever bothered to read _Hogwarts, A History_?" said Hermione crossly to the four boys and Skylar.

"Probably," said Ron. "Why?"

"Because the castle's protected by more than _walls, _you know," said Hermione. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those dementors." The Rosenwald children all shared a look. "They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Filch knows all the secret passages, they'll have them covered…"

Nick looked at his sister who caught the gaze before her eyes widened. Filch didn't know of all the passages? Was there any Black could have used?

Nick glanced at those around them and then downwards, he didn't think so, but then, Black wasn't just a wizard.

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!" The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and from the enchanted ceiling.

Skylar lay herself down on her back, looking at the enchanted ceiling, which was scattered with stars. Nick and Leon both shared a glance over her.

_Would Black know of the secret passageways? _Leon wondered.

_Course he does, he helped make that map remember. _Nick sighed. _But I don't know which he'd use, of the seven only two would be accessible, and one goes to Honeydukes, while the other has the Whomping Willow over it. _

_Guys… what if that is how he got in? _Skylar worried.

_Then why would he go to the common room though? _Leon questioned confused. _The feast is noisy enough, especially for dog's ears?_

None of them had an answer.

Skylar's stomach was swimming with guilt. It was easy to get in when no one knew your secrets, but here they were, three children who did know, who understood, with a father and a family friend who were just as aware.

_What do you think dad and Remus are doing? _Skylar wondered.

_Hopefully checking the secret passageways no one else knows about. _Nick said.

Skylar did hope so. If they weren't going to confess, they had to at least do better.

Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Skylar hadn't been able to sleep, she had stared at the ceiling, wishing her father would appear, and wishing even more that she'd be able to talk to him. She didn't know what to do.

She wasn't the only one who was awake, Harry was too. Leon had long since crashed out, but Nick on Sky's other side was still awake also. Skylar knew Ron and Hermione weren't able to fall asleep any better than she was. All of them were secretly watching Dumbledore, as he looked around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. Percy was only a short way away from Harry, Skylar, Nick, Ron, Hermione, and Leon, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.

"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.

"No. All well here?"

"Everything under control, sir."

"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."

"And the Fat Lady, sir?"

"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."

The door of the hall creaked open again, and more footsteps sounded, approaching them all.

"Headmaster?" It was Snape. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."

"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched…"

"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."

"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.

Skylar frowned.

"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."

"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before — ah — the start of term?" said Snape, he sounded angry, and his voice was thin.

"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice.

"It seems — almost impossible — that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed —"

"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Snape didn't reply.

Skylar grit her teeth. Snape was blaming Remus! Snape thought Remus would be letting Black in?! After what he did to the Potters? What, was he blaming her father as well? Just because they weren't friends when they were children?

"I must go down to the dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."

"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.

"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."

Footsteps sounded as Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. It was a moment before more footsteps sounded and Snape was clearly following. With them both gone Skylar opened her eyes. She noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione had all obviously been listening too.

"What was all that about?" Ron mouthed.

Skylar turned to Nick, he'd also been listening and she noticed he didn't look any happier than she felt.

"He's blaming Remus." She said ever so quietly, angrily, and Hermione and Ron looked at them. "He's so petty!"

"All because they didn't get along in school." Nick nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if Snape apposed to Remus and dad having anything to do with the school."

"They think Professor Lupin is helping Black?" Harry whispered. "Because they knew one another?" The two Rosenwalds nodded.

"What are you going on about?" Ron asked.

Nick and Skylar turned to see him and Hermione looking confused. Skylar sighed and looked at Harry. She looked down, turning her gaze away as she prepped herself for the next piece of information.

"My dad, when he was at school, had four really good friends." Skylar admitted "Harry's dad, James Potter, was one of them, so was Remus." She said and the two nodded. "The other two was a man named Peter Pettigrew, and the last… the last was Sirius Black." She confessed.

Hermione gasped and covered her mouth, glancing around, but Percy had moved off away from them. Ron was blinking at Skylar.

"You dad was friends with Black?!" Ron breathed. Skylar and Nick nodded.

"Not just friends, best friends. And not just best friends, family."

"You're related to Sirius Black!?" Ron demanded, struggling to keep his voice down now, so much so he had to take a breath as he glanced around for Percy.

"They're cousins." Nick admitted. "They've known one another since they were born."

"Black, dad and James Potter were all inseparable." Skylar frowned. "When it turned out that Black was on You-Know-Who's side… none of them could ever believe it. It's… it's one of the worse stains on my family."

"But your father's the head of the department catching Black!?" Hermione remembered, she looked devastated for Nathaniel.

"Dad put another in charge of it," Skylar confessed.

"And you never told us!?" Ron demanded, "Don't you think Harry deserved to know?"

Skylar bowed her head and Ron gapped. "You told Harry and not us?"

"Ron, don't blame Skylar, it's not like this is an easy thing for them." Harry mumbled and Ron huffed, but dropped it.

"Snape thinks Remus is helping Black into the castle." Nick grumbled.

"Remus would never!" Skylar snapped acidly. "None of them would ever help Black after what he did!"

"After what he did?" Hermione asked, "Killing those people?"

"Wait, you said Pettigrew?" Ron asked. "The wizard Black killed? You said they were friends with your dad?"

The two nodded.

"He killed his friend?" Hermione looked appalled, scared, surprised.

Nick and Skylar shared a look, If only that was all he'd done.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26:

The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.

"She said that?" Leon asked with an unsure look on his face at lunch after the third year Gryffindors had had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.

"Well, she's not far off." Nick mumbled.

The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat grey pony, a portrait that apparently sat towards the North Tower.

"He helped us find Divination on our first lesson." Ron confessed. He didn't seem happy and it didn't take Skylar long to figure out why. Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day. No one was happy with his appointment.

"He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?"

"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer."

Sir Cadogan was not the only security measure that had changed however, Harry was now being closely watched. Teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with him, and Percy Weasley (acting, likely, on his mother's orders) was tailing him everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog. To cap it all, Professor McGonagall summoned Harry into her office, with such a somber expression on her face Harry thought someone must have died. As it turned out, McGonagall had decided to tell Harry that Sirius Black was after him, not knowing he already knew.

"That must've been a surprise," Skylar thought.

"Hardly! It was that she tried to stop me playing Quidditch that was more of a surprise." Harry confessed.

"What?" Ron demanded.

"She was worried of me being outside, what with Black now on the grounds."

"Can't say I blame her, but you're not really stopping are you?" Skylar wondered. Quidditch was one of Harry's favourite things about the castle.

"No, she decided to have Madam Hooch watch us instead, she doesn't want to lose any more than the rest of us." Harry admitted.

"Good, the last thing we need is Malfoy having a go at us because we lost." Ron said, looking sour.

While everyone's minds was beginning to turn towards the first Quidditch Game of the season, Skylar couldn't stop thinking about Sirius Black, and she had a very high need to talk to her father.

"He hasn't been here since that happened Sky, he's been at the Ministry." Nick confessed. "I went to find him and McGonagall informed me of it."

"He can't just leave us here like this!?" Skylar said looking distraught. "It's because of him that we know these things and Harry could be killed!"

Nick shushed her, though they were standing in an empty corridor. "You're only chance is to talk to Remus."

"I know but it's that time and I hate bothering him when he has enough to think about." She frowned.

"Then you're going to have to deal Sky."

"You say that like it doesn't bother you!" She snapped.

"It does, but unfortunately, there's nothing we can do."

"We could confess."

"You'd do that to dad?" Nick wondered.

Skylar was silent and he nodded.

"Don't worry, Harry's safe, you've seen the teachers."

"Yeah, Harry doesn't like it, he asked me to talk to my dad about it all, doesn't like being chaperoned."

"Only cause he can't break the rules." Nick smirked.

"He hasn't snuck into Hogsmeade yet." Skylar admitted, "That's gotta be something."

"Well, unless he uses the Honeydukes passageway, I doubt he'll be able to." Nick shrugged.

"And probably best he doesn't." Skylar nodded, frowning. "The twins do still have that map right?"

"Yeah we've memorised it though, it's really only used for locating Filch, or Mrs Norris." Nick confessed.

"I keep wondering what would happen if Black got a hold of it, and then I remember he helped create it." Skylar frowned.

"That's how he'd know of all the secret passages."

"What if he figures out how to get into the common room next?" Skylar mumbled.

"You mean with Sir Cadogan changing the passwords every five minutes?" Nick rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Still…" Skylar worried.

As she couldn't talk to her father directly, she opted for sending him a letter. Of course the idea of having to go to the Owlery to send the letter as very off putting. The weather had worsened since Halloween, strong winds and heavy rain battered the castle and pelted at the quidditch teams as they practiced on the pitch. Thunderstorms were beginning to roll in here and there.

Despite this Skylar pulled a coat on and began to make her trek through the rain and wind and towards the Owlery. She'd use one of the school owls, she figured her brothers would not be impressed if she sent Mitchum or Reylon out in this weather.

The Owlery was no warm place. A tower slightly off from the main Castle, sitting on a hill and with no windows or doors. The wind blew into it from every direction and the rain had covered some of the straw covered floor despite the walls.

Skylar hurried over to an owl and it held its leg out, happy for a job.

"I know the weather's bad, but I need this delivered ASAP." She mumbled as she tied the letter on. "Feel free not to return so quickly if you need a rest."

The owl took flight and Skylar took a breath before making her way back out into the cold, chilly wind and the pelting rain. She was drenched by the time she reached the castle again and moved straight to the showers to warm up before putting on some warm, dry, clothes.

The girl then moved through the castle and for the library. As the weather was worsening, the library had a rather high number of students within it. Not to Skylar's surprise, most seemed to be Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs.

Skylar moved over to Madam Pince and she rose an eyebrow as she smiled at the librarian.

"I was looking for books on Animagus?"

"Why?" Madam Pince asked, looking suspicious.

"Professor McGonagall was telling us about them a few lessons back and I was interested in learning a bit more if that was alright." Skylar smiled.

"Well, a little extra reading then?"

"More or less." Skylar nodded.

"Through there, third shelf on the left." Madam Pince directed.

"Thank you." Skylar smiled and moved off before she took a breath. She had hoped the books wouldn't be in the Restricted Section, seemed she was lucky.

Skylar looked along the shelves before she noticed the book titles and began to pull off the ones she wanted. She moved to a table down the back and began to lay them all out. Skylar sat herself down and began to flick through the books, reading over passages. She didn't know what to do about Sirius Black, she couldn't tell anyone in fear of getting her father in trouble, but she figured she'd better at least build her knowledge on them. She knew her dad, along with his friends had become Animagi when they were in their fifth year. It had taken them years to figure out how to do it, having discovered Remus' secret in their second. But that meant there was some important information within this school that could help her. She didn't even know what kind of help she was looking for, she just needed anything to relieve the stress.

When she thought about it, she had never been more secretive than she had been this year. She was keeping the fact that a murderer and prison-escapee could turn into an animal, which allows him to escape the dementors that are everywhere, looking for him, along with everyone else in Britain. He was in the school grounds, and he was able to do this because he ran around the school when he was a student as said animal, allowing him to learn all the schools secrets. Said escapee was friends with her father and a friend of Harry's, which a few people knew now. What they didn't know was that the escapee betrayed the Potters and caused them to be killed by You-Know-Who, giving up their secret location. Then there was Remus being a werewolf, her father being an unregistered animagus and together, along with escapee, they created a map of Hogwarts that showed everyone on it.

It was all getting exhausting…

Skylar paused, she stopped turning the page of her book and looked up.

The map… What if the map could help? Nick said that he and the Weasley twins had memorised it, would they take it out and look for Sirius Black? What if he was hiding in its range?

Skylar sighed. Even if he was, she wouldn't be able to do anything about that either, she could tell Remus or her dad, but she'd have to confess about the map, about Nick having had it for five years. What if they got mad about that? She felt her dad might have laughed before Sirius Black had broken out of Azkaban, now it might have just been a reminder or what happened to his friends.

Skylar dropped her head onto the pages of the book in front of her. She huffed, restraining a groan as she reminded herself she was in the library. Madam Pince would not be happy if she disturbed the silence.

Nothing was getting better here, she wasn't finding help. She was just complicating things for herself.

"Hey…" Skylar rose her head and looked up.

"Stephen…" she mumbled, slightly surprised as the boy stood beside her.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

"Just… stressed." She mumbled, sitting up properly and pushing her auburn curls from her face. Stephen nodded, frowning slightly. He glanced at the pile of books before her and rose an eyebrow. "Stressed over animagi'?" he asked confused. "Wasn't that from over a month ago?"

Skylar shook her head and shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not sure I remember which order our lessons have gone in." She mumbled.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Doubtful." She sighed, closing the book in front of her. "None of these are giving me what I need it seems."

"Why don't you talk to Professor McGonagall, I mean she is an animagus herself."

"A teacher is the last thing I need." Skylar confessed.

Stephen looked a little worried at her lack of confidence all of a sudden, she really did seem to be struggling over something. Stephen pulled out a chair and sat down beside the girl.

"This doesn't seem like it's about school stuff."

Skylar sighed, of course it wasn't. She might not have been the brightest like Hermione, and she might not have had motivation to write most of the essays given, but she did enjoy classes, she enjoyed learning, so the work load never really stressed her out.

"You want to talk about it?" Stephen wondered.

Skylar scoffed. If she could talk about it, it wouldn't be nearly as stressful. "It's not really something that I can explain." She mumbled.

"Then, I can't help you out with it?" Stephen asked, seeming a little disappointed

"Unfortunately not." She sighed.

"Well, if you're thinking of becoming an animagus, I don't think these books will help." Stephen said and Skylar blinked at him before looking down at her collection.

"Oh… well I suppose it could look like that couldn't it." She said before chuckling. "Bit of a scary decision to make, if I was I think it would be better to do such an experiment under the guidance of Professor McGonagall."

"I'll say, you could get suck as half a human and half an animal forever if you do it wrong."

Skylar blinked. "You know about Animagus'?" she asked.

"Only a little, after McGonagall's lesson. She was very clear about the dangers of the task after all." Stephen shrugged.

"Think it would be cool to be an animal?" Skylar wondered.

"Depends on the animal." Stephen said thinking. "I'd hate to be something small like a bug or mouse, I think that'd be rather inconvenient."

"You'd fit into some really awesome places though." Skylar added.

"Well, what about you?"

"I'd likely be some big cat." She shrugged.

Stephen rose an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

She smiled, well if she was anything like her dad… "Call it intuition."

Stephen smirked at her before he started chuckling. She couldn't help but join in before beginning to stack up her books.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27:

Gryffindor's first Quidditch match, as well as the first Quidditch match of the season, was approaching ever so quickly and in the week leading up to it, the excitement of the school built. The anticipation of the match loomed, but also so did the weather. The wind and rain was still increasing as the temperature dropped.

It seemed however, that the match was not only likely to be plagued with terrible weather, but Slytherin had decided it wasn't worth them playing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team came slumping into the common room after the final training session before the match with news of a house change.

"We're playing Hufflepuff." Harry said to Skylar, Ron and Hermione, the bushy-haired muggle-born of which had almost buried herself under books while completing her homework.

Skylar and Ron however looked up in surprise by the news.

"What?" They questioned.

"Malfoy decided to complain that his arm was still sore, so Slytherin switched with Hufflepuff." Harry said.

"For Gods sake, Madam Pomfrey will know Draco's faking it and yet he's still getting away with it?" Skylar demanded.

"They just don't want to play in the weather." Harry said.

"Cowards." Ron spat.

"Honestly, they can't be a Quidditch team if you're going to let the weather get in the way." Skylar rolled her eyes. "Quidditch runs rain, hail or shine and doesn't stop just cause of that."

"If only the weather was our only problem, Oliver's freaking out cause we've been training for Slytherin, and they play differently to Hufflepuff." Harry said.

"Doesn't Hufflepuff have a new captain?" Hermione added, not looking up from her books as she spoke.

"Yeah, Cedric Diggery." Skylar grinned and the two boys rose an eyebrow at her. "Handsome sixth grader, doesn't say much. Plays Seeker I think."

"Handsome?" Ron asked her, giving her a surprised look by her analogy.

"It's an observation." She shrugged. "Lots of girls swoon over him you know." She confessed, "Not really sure why… You should know of him Ron, Cedric's dad works at the Ministry with our's." Skylar thought for a minute. "Think he's in the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures department."

Ron looked at her incredulously. "How do you keep track of them all? Millions of people work in the Ministry?" he questioned but Skylar just shrugged.

"I'd like to say it's because of a great memory I have, but we all know that's not true, given how bad I am at sorting information for homework." She sighed, the two boys smirking at her.

"So what you going to do?" Ron asked turning back to Harry.

"We can't do anything, we don't have time to practice before the match now." He confessed.

"How did Oliver find out about the change?" Skylar wondered.

"Flint told him."

"Bet Flint purposely left it till the last training session." Ron grumbled.

"If ever there was a dirty team." Skylar agreed.

The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherin team was looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Draco.

"Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" he sighed as the gale outside pounded the windows.

"Yes, such a shame you got to use it to hide your cowardliness." Skylar smiled and those around Draco snickered, while Crabbe and Goyle looked at her menacingly.

"You always make me feel better after one of Draco's insults." Ron smiled, taking a breath.

"Better hope so, the last thing we need is you in a fist fight with Crabbe and Goyle again." Skylar chuckled as they made their way towards Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"Harry!" The boy turned to see Oliver Wood running up the corridor towards them.

"Again?" Skylar asked surprised. Oliver had been cornering Harry between classes, giving him last minute tips of advice.

"Come on, let's leave them to it." Ron mumbled as Wood started ranting off advice to Harry. The two turned around to keep moving, before Ron looked around.

"Where's Hermione?" He questioned.

"Probably already at the classroom, she doesn't exactly have time to dawdle." Skylar reminded him. "Or she's off heading for another class."

"She wouldn't miss class." Ron said looking like Skylar had spoken of a non-existing occurrence.

"Didn't say she would." Skylar shrugged.

They lined up outside the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, Hermione joining them in a hurry, making a claim that she'd been in the bathroom, as they waited before the door opened. The person who stepped out was not Remus however, it was Snape.

"Inside." He said coldly and everyone stared at him unsurely.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" Lavender whispered.

"Think he's running late?"

Skylar however groaned. "Noo."

"Snape's not taking our lesson is he?" Ron asked as Skylar bowed her head and the Gryffindors all filed into the room.

"Yes, he is, Remus can't come." She mumbled.

"Why not?" Ron questioned.

"Wrong time of the month." She muttered and Hermione glanced at her with a confused look.

Everyone took their seats muttering to one another as Snape moved to the front of the class.

"So, as Professor Lupin is unable to teach at the required moments," Skylar glared at the man. She'd like to see Snape become a werewolf every month and possibly hurt himself and still teach. "I have been asked to fill in as your substitute." He paused and moved to the desk, shuffling the papers a little as everyone was looking most irritated by this development.

"Unfortunately, it seems that your teacher, so ever unorganised hasn't left any instructions or lessons plans. Nor has he bothered to leave what you've been working on this term—"

The door suddenly opened and everyone turned to see Harry hurrying in.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin, I —"

Harry stopped as he saw Snape.

"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down." Skylar huffed and blew on a piece of hair hanging by her eye.

Harry didn't move.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" He said.

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?"

But Harry stayed where he was.

"What's wrong with him?"

Snape's black eyes glittered.

"Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."

Harry walked slowly to his seat and sat down. Snape looked around at the class.

"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far —"

"Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start —"

"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organisation."

"He's the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you — I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows. Today we shall discuss —"

He flicked through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered.

"— werewolves," said Snape.

"Why you despicable, loathsome—"

"Skylar!" Hermione looked at her shocked. Skylar looked menacingly at Snape. Obviously he had chosen the topic for the simple reason of trying to expose Remus. Ron and Harry were also looking at Skylar surprised. She began to rise in her seat and slumped back down, angrily.

"Teaching about werewolves, how petty!" She hissed.

"He's doing it cause we don't know anything." Ron grumbled.

"No, that's not why." Skylar countered and Ron rose an eyebrow.

"Why else?"

"To spite Remus."

"But, sir," said Hermione, ignoring Skylar, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start hinkypunks —"

"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "_All _of you! _Now_!"

With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.

Skylar and Hermione rose their hand, Hermione's shooting into the air.

"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring the two girls. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between —"

"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on —"

"_Silence_!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognise a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are…"

"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf —"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because every one of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"

The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room held its breath.

"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticise the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."

No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.

"Very poorly explained… That is incorrect, the kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia… Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three…"

"Well, you're not our teacher, and not at all a decent person." Skylar grumbled under her breath, too lowly for Snape to hear her but loud enough for Harry and Ron to share a look.

When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognise and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."

Harry, Skylar and Hermione left the room with the rest of the class, who waited until they were well out of earshot, then burst into a furious tirade about Snape.

"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harry said to Hermione.

"Such a petty child." Skylar mumbled. "Wait till I tell Remus and my dad what he did. Making us learn about werewolves, can't even get Remus fired the normal way, has to go behind his back!"

"I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon…"

"He'll be back next week." Skylar said.

"You sure?" Harry wondered.

"Trust me." Skylar assured.

Ron caught up with them five minutes later, in a towering rage.

"D'you know what that —" (he called Snape something that made Hermione say "_Ron_!") "— is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. _Without magic_!" He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"

"Don't tempt him, I bet Black would have." Skylar admitted.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28:

The weather had continued to decline as the days slipped by, and December approached. Skylar was surprised she slept through the night before the first Quidditch game, the wind was roaring against the castle as though trying to blow the entire thing away. Thunder joined, rumbling overhead as if right by her bedside. She knew there had to be a downside to their dormitory being in a tower, they were closer to the savagery. The wind was pounding on the walls and the trees in the forbidden forest were creaking.

She lay in her four poster bed, staring at its top before reaching to pull on the curtains around her. The darkness didn't lighten much from the action, apart from the flashes of lightning outside the window. She blinked as she looked around, sitting up and opening the curtains completely. It was still early, she knew that much, but with the storm darkened the room so much that the torches would likely need to be lit during the day, she wasn't sure how early.

Skylar yawned, looking around the room with tiredness in her face. She glanced at her blankets and her forehead furrowed as she noticed Meridiem was missing from the foot of her bed. She glanced around but the cat didn't seem to be in the dormitory. Getting up, Skylar glanced out the window, she loved watching a Quidditch match, but in this weather she wondered if she'd see or hear anything at all. The wind would likely block the commentary and it didn't look like she'd see anything through such thick rain. Not only that but she, and the entire school, would come back completely drenched.

Filch was not going to be happy when they all dragged the water into the castle, and mud from the team members.

Skylar moved to her trunk, pulling out some clothes, and got dressed before she moved from the dormitory. She was quiet crossing the room and opened the door as little as she could incase it squeaked, the last thing she needed was to wake the rest of the dormitory up. She glanced around the stairs before them, but the cat was still missing before she went down them and to the common room, the noise of the storm outside increasing as she did.

She figured the common room would be empty, no one would be awake this early on a Saturday, but she was wrong. The untidy hair of Harry came into view, sitting by the fire. She also noticed Crookshanks was in the common room, trying to sneak up the boys dormitory staircase.

"No Crookshanks." She scolded as she moved to pick him up. Harry spun around and saw her as she walked towards him. "You're awake early." She confessed.

"So are you." Harry admitted.

"How early is it?" she wondered as she moved to sit beside him. She noted Meridiem was curled up in his lap. "There you are." She smiled, the cat raising its head to look at her as she reached to scratch her ear. She put Crookshanks in her lap as she sat down, holding onto him and brushing his ear.

"He's been trying to get up to the dormitory." Harry admitted.

"He really has it in for Scabbers." Skylar mused. "Why are you awake?" she wondered, "Shouldn't you be resting for the game?"

"Peeves woke me up." Harry grumbled.

"Course he did." Skylar sighed. "The weather woke me up." Thunder cracked over their heads as she said that and they both looked up. "So, what, have you just been sitting here ever since?" Skylar asked.

"What else is there to do?"

"I'm sure you've got the homework for it." She chuckled.

"You mean besides the essay Snape set on werewolves." Harry asked in annoyance. "I'm not doing it, hopefully Professor Lupin will be back and we wont be expected to hand it in."

"Werewolves are an easy topic." Skylar believed.

"Why haven't you done it then?"

"I have, Hermione and I did it last night while you and Ron were complaining about Snape over Chess." Skylar said and Harry rolled his eyes, he then looked unsure.

"You're never that on top of homework?" he said, giving her a look.

"Well, I know a lot on the subject, it was an easy essay to write." She turned to the window and looked at the raging storm. "Kinda wish they'd cancel the game." She changed the subject.

Harry glanced at it as well.

"Yeah right." He scoffed, "You know you don't have to go."

"What and not be supportive?" Skylar asked, "That would be a bit selfish. Besides, what else would I do?"

"Homework?"

"I'd rather be out in the storm," She confessed and Harry chuckled. Skylar's stomach then rumbled and she sighed. "When is breakfast?"

"Soon hopefully." He sighed.

"Shall we go and see?" Skylar asked, standing up and pushing Crookshanks from her lap as she did.

Harry got up with her and the white cat curled up on the couch while Crookshanks went for the boys dormitory staircase again. The two watched him before sharing a look.

"Hang on." Skylar said.

She moved and picked the cat up before disappearing up the girl's staircase. Harry heard a door open and close before Skylar came back down again.

"Can't get to your dormitory if he's locked in mine." She smiled.

"Good thinking." He nodded before they moved off through the portrait hole.

"Stand and fight, you mangy cur!" yelled Sir Cadogan.

"Oh, shut up," Harry yawned.

"How can he be so lively? It was better when the Fat Lady was sleepy."

"Hopefully she'll come back soon."

"Doubtful if she's so scared." Skylar sighed.

They moved to the Great Hall, which was empty, but the food had been placed on the tables for breakfast regardless. The two moved to the Gryffindor table and while Skylar pulled towards her some french toast, adding berries and syrup, Harry had a large bowl of porridge.

People began to flitter into the Great Hall for breakfast as they ate but it wasn't until the two had finished breakfast, and had had some toast and pumpkin juice, that the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team turned up.

"You two are here early." Nick said as he'd come down with the team.

"Surprised any of us could sleep with such harsh weather." Skylar confessed as her brother sat beside her.

Wood was also worried about the weather, he wasn't eating anything as he looked at the enchanted ceiling above them. "It's going to be a tough one," he said.

"Stop worrying, Oliver," said Alicia soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain."

"A bit of rain?" Skylar and Nick chorused.

"We're going to need an Impervius Charm." Nick said.

"Please cast one on me." Skylar said holding her arms out. Nick chuckled but pulled his wand out.

"_Impervius._" He tapped her top and her jeans.

"Hopefully it helps."

"Are you excited!" Leon had appeared and was grinning

"Have you looked outside?" Skylar mumbled.

"It's just water." Leon shrugged.

"That's the spirit." Fred grinned and everyone turned to him. "Yeah it's not working for me either." He sighed, slumping.

It was considerably more than a bit of rain. Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns toward the Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went.

Hermione had brought an umbrella and she, Skylar, Ron, Leon, Nick and Ginny were all huddled under it. Hermione had had to put an engorgement charm on it to make it big enough to fit them all.

The wind still whipped and pulled at their clothes despite this as they all waited for the teams to come out. Everything was grey as the rain sleeted down, the wind was so strong that they were being pulled sideways. They were able to see the red of the Gryffindor team and the yellow of the Hufflepuff but whether the captains shook hands like usual, or what Madam Hooch said to them before they mounted their brooms was unknown. Those around the group were cheering, but whether anyone else was as well was lost on the wind.

The teams rose into the air and Skylar cheered along with Hermione, Ron, Nick, Leon and Ginny around her. The teams seemed to vanish into the weather, though it was hard to see them from under the umbrellas anyway. Occasionally the red or yellow would shoot past the stand and they'd all jump in surprise. Skylar knew Lee Jordan would be commentating as he always did, but she couldn't for the life of her hear him.

It seemed the weather was only getting worse, the sky seemed to be getting darker and darker and the rain got thicker and thicker.

"How's Harry supposed to see the snitch in this weather?" Ron questioned, shouting over the rain.

"The rain's bad enough, but imagine his glasses? They'll be water flecked as well." Skylar knew.

"Had anyone even scored?" Ginny questioned.

"Probably, I wonder if the Keepers can block the Quaffle?" Nick said, squinting through the rain at the game.

"At least we're winning." Leon grinned.

"How can you tell?" Hermione questioned.

"Lee said so." He shrugged.

"You can hear him?" they all asked and Leon beamed proudly.

"What's the score then?" Ginny wondered.

"We're fifty points ahead." Leon assured.

With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle, and the teams moved to the muddy ground of the pitch, the Gryffindor's crowding together and the Hufflepuffs a little ways off.

"I have an idea!" Hermione said and they all looked at her as she handed Skylar the umbrella and went running across the stand.

"What's she doing?" Ron questioned but they all just shrugged. They squinted through the rain to see her moving over to the Gryffindor team.

"Hopefully she's helping Harry." Nick said, "If he can't catch the snitch, the game wont end."

"There are two seekers." Skylar reminded him.

"Well, we don't want Diggery to get it do we?" Nick rolled his eyes and Skylar shot him a look.

Hermione came running back and as she reached them in the crowd, the team took back off into the air.

"What you do?" Ron asked.

"Well, Skylar was right, Harry wont be able to see with his glasses so I cast a spell on them to repel water." Hermione smiled. "Hopefully it'll help."

The team went back to scoring goals as the players avoided one another and the bludgers zooming around the pitch.

There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous.

"They're going to get struck by lightning." Ginny worried.

"Harry better get the snitch and fast." Skylar worried.

"If he can see it!" Ron admitted.

As there was another flash of lightning, Cedric Diggery was suddenly diving. Everyone leaned forwards in expectation while Harry went streaking off after the opposition seeker.

Everyone watched, excited, anticipation as Harry was catching up… but then all the sound seemed to vanish. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound.

A horrible wave of cold swept over them all, casing them to shiver as it the cold wasn't just around them, but inside them as well.

"What happened?" Ginny's voice was barely a whisper.

Skylar looked panicked.

"Dementors…" she whispered.

Everyone was staring at the field, something else had joined in. The entire field was filled with the black cloaked dementors, all of them filling the pitch and looking up at the players above them.

If the sound hadn't been cut off, people might have been screaming, scared, everyone seemed frozen in place.

And then there was movement. Harry's broom had come to a stop and he was falling, falling through the air, towards the ground and without his broomstick.

Cedric Diggery had caught the snitch, but everyone was screaming at Harry. Dumbledore was suddenly running onto the field, amongst the rain, wind, across the mud and looking up at the dementors. Skylar had never seen the headmaster look so angry before. He waved his wand and Harry seemed to slow down slightly in his fall before he hit the muddy ground, falling about fifty feet.

"Harry!" Skylar screamed in panic.

Dumbledore whirled his wand again and the silvery substance that'd left Remus' wand on the train, shot out of its tip, heading for the dementors. The black hooded figures all fell back instantly, they all left the stadium in an instant while Dumbledore looked scary in his anger. He was furious. His voice reached them even over the wind as he chased off the dementors.

The sound returned, the deep cold vanished and everyone was talking and worrying, some in a deep panic as the wind then diminished everyone's words.

Dumbledore flicked his wand and a stretcher appeared under Harry, lifting Harry up off the mud before he walked towards the castle with Harry behind him.

"Come on!" Skylar said, her face was white, Ron's mouth was hanging open in fear and Hermione's hands were over her mouth, her eyes watery.

Skylar lead the way as people began to move from the stands, hurrying towards the school and out of the weather.

Skylar, Ron, Hermione, Nick and Leon all moved for the Hospital Wing, where they knew, hoped, Dumbledore would have taken Harry. They were joined by the Quidditch team.

"Diggery tried to call a rematch." Fred confessed to them.

"Didn't think it was fair." George agreed.

"Wood said he won fair and square." Angelina muttered.

They all reached the Hospital wing and hurried in. Madam Pomfrey, the matron, was leaning over Harry.

"Is he all right?" Skylar demanded.

"He's not—" Ron's voice cut off, his voice hoarse.

"He's fine." The Matron assured them all. "He broke a few bones but I've mended them."

All of them released a breath.

"He's still unconscious but should be awake soon." She said.

"Can we stay till he does?" Skylar wondered.

Madam Pomfrey looked like she wanted to refuse, her lips pursed and they all looked at her expectantly.

"All right, but only till then." She allowed and they all thanked her.

They all crowded around Harry's bed, looking at him as he lay mud splattered and soaked to the bone, his eyes closed.

"He doesn't look good." Ron muttered.

"Surprised? He fell of his broom and was affected by the dementors." Skylar frowned.

"They'd affect him terribly…" Nick thought and Skylar nodded.

The doors opened and they all turned to see tiny Professor Flitwick moving towards them.

"Professor," Hermione acknowledged.

"I went and collected Mr. Potter's broom." The Professor admitted and they all noticed a bundle in his arms.

"Where is it?" Leon questioned.

Professor Flitwick sighed. "It was blown off by the wind and into the Whomping Willow, I'm afraid, Mr. Potter's broom is no more."

"Oh no." Skylar frowned.

"His Nimbus!?" Fred demanded as the Professor handed the broom to Hermione.

"That ruddy tree." Ron grumbled as the professor left them.

"Let's just be happy it wasn't Harry that hit the tree." Hermione frowned.

"He could have come out just as badly." Ron thought.

"Lucky the ground was so soft."

"I thought he was dead for sure."

"But he didn't even break his glasses."

"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."

"I thought my heart leapt from my chest."

They all looked at Harry as they noticed movement, before his eyes snapped open. They all moved slightly closer, worried and relieved.

"Harry!" said Fred, who looked extremely white underneath the mud. "How're you feeling?"

He didn't answer, his mind it seemed went elsewhere. "What happened?" he said, sitting up so suddenly they all gasped.

"You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been — what — fifty feet?"

"We thought you'd died," said Alicia, who was shaking.

Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.

"But the match," said Harry. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?"

No one said anything, no one wanted to tell him, but he understood himself.

"We didn't — _lose_?"

"Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realise what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square… even Wood admits it."

"Where is Wood?" said Harry. He was the only team member missing.

"Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself."

Harry put his face to his knees, his hands gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly.

"C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before."

"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George.

"It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by a hundred points, right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin…"

"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," said George.

"But if they beat Ravenclaw…"

"No way, Ravenclaw is too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff…"

"It all depends on the points — a margin of a hundred either way —"

"Guys, I don't think you're helping." Skylar mumbled.

Harry lay there, not saying a word.

After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave him in peace, Leon and Nick agreeing to leave also.

"We'll come and see you later," Fred told him. "Don't beat yourself up, Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had."

The team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving. Skylar, Ron and Hermione moved nearer to Harry's bed.

"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione said in a quaking voice. "I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away… He was furious they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him —"

"Then he magicked you onto a stretcher," said Ron. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were…"

His voice faded.

"You weren't moving and you fell from so high." Skylar whispered.

Harry didn't response, he was worrying about the dementors, and the effects they had on him. The three watched him, looking anxiously before he noticed their looks and glanced around.

"Did someone get my Nimbus?" he suddenly asked, wanting to change the subject.

Skylar dropped her gaze, frowning while Ron and Hermione looked quickly at each other.

"Er —"

"What?" said Harry, looking from one to the other.

"Well… when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione hesitantly.

"And?"

"And it hit — it hit — oh, Harry — it hit the Whomping Willow."

Harry took a moment. "And?" he said, dreading the answer.

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It — it doesn't like being hit."

"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," said Hermione in a very small voice.

Slowly, she reached down for the bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29:

Hermione, Skylar and Ron stayed with Harry in the hospital wing, as Madam Pomfrey refused to let him out for the weekend. He had many visitors during that time, Hagrid sent him flowers, Ginny, accompanied by a disgruntled Leon (because of his jealously), went to see if he was all right. Everyone was trying to cheer him up, but there was something more than his broken broom or the loss of the match bugging him. It worried Skylar a little, she noticed it on Saturday, while they were talking about the game, the dementors and Snape's essay that was potentially due Monday if he was teaching Remus' class again. Ron refused to do it, he also refused to go to the lesson, which Hermione told him off for.

Skylar however was watching Harry, when the two weren't looking, he gained a look of blankness, his mind travelled elsewhere. Skylar kept her mouth shut in asking him what was wrong, incase he didn't want her to voice his worries. It didn't stop her from worrying, and so, on Sunday morning, she got up earlier than the others and went to see Harry by herself. She didn't think it was helpful for one to bottle things up, and so if he wanted to talk to her, she'd happily listen.

The hallways were empty as she walked through them, ignoring the Great Hall or Peeves who she ducked past by hiding in a tapestry as he was writing on one of the walls in what looked like permanent ink. Filch was not going to be happy.

Naturally the Hospital wing was just as quiet, though the matron was awake. Harry however, was still asleep, and Madam Pomfrey told her to have some breakfast first, that she was not allowed to wake him, as he needed rest, nor was she allowed to wait around like a fly.

"My hospital wing is not a waiting room Miss Rosenwald. Come back later." Skylar huffed annoyed.

Despite that, she needed something to do while she was forced to wait around, and so she went and grabbed some toast, hoping the walk from the Hospital Wing and back again would be long enough for Harry to awaken.

She was in luck, Madam Pomfrey was giving Harry breakfast as she opened the door.

"You're early." Harry confessed when he looked up and noticed her.

"Yeah…" she mumbled as she walked over to take a seat beside him, Harry digging into his pancakes with strawberries and sugar. The boy paused, the fork halfway to his mouth as he noticed her small voice, it trialing off at the end.

"What?" He wondered. She glanced at the bag of his broken Nimbus two-thousand, sitting on his bedside table. He'd refused to let it be thrown out despite being beyond repair.

"I was hoping you'd tell me what was bothering you." She confessed.

Harry blinked at her and looked at the bag as well. He busied himself with chewing his food, putting the fork into his mouth.

"And don't tell me it's the match, or your broom, I know there's something more." She said as he avoided her gaze.

Harry released a breath, no one could hide anything from Skylar. He chewed and swallowed before being able to speak. "I don't know if I like the fact that I can't keep anything from you or not." He muttered.

"You don't have to tell me about it, I wont force you to, I just want you to know I'm happy for you to tell me if you wanted. It could help." She shrugged, watching him and trying not to pry, verbally or mentally.

Harry cast his eyes downwards and Skylar watched him, frowning slightly.

He took a minute before speaking. "Remember how I told you, I saw the grim? When I left the Dursleys?"

"Or a dog that resembled one." Skylar smiled, nodding slightly, and Harry rolled his eyes but nodded.

He paused again. "I… I saw it again." He muttered.

Skylar's grin dropped and her eyes widened. "When?!" She demanded.

"In the stands… of the game. Behind everyone else."

"He— it was in the stands…" she whispered. Harry glanced at her as she looked rather horrified before she covered it all up in the blink of an eye. Harry looked at her confused, had he imagined such a scare on her face?

"Okay." She nodded.

"It was gone after a blink." He assured.

"So… it could have just been the storm and all." She added.

"I only saw it for a moment…" he said, nodding in thought. "But then I fell off my broom, and the first time I saw it I was almost hit by the Knight Bus."

"So you're starting to think it is a bad sign…" she mumbled nodding. "Well, the grim is a death omen, you haven't died, just gained some injuries, and the Knight Bus didn't actually injure you." She shrugged.

Her forehead furrowed. Sirius Black could have attacked Harry back then, when he'd run from home, he had the chance… but did nothing? And he came to the game, without anyone noticing him… He couldn't have called the dementors in an act to hurt Harry… could someone do that?

"Sky?" the girl blinked and looked at Harry who's forehead was furrowed as he saw her confused expression.

"Sorry." She mumbled, looking down at her hands.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah…" she nodded. "It's just… oddly coincidental don't you think, you see the grim, you have two near misses, and there's a crazed mass murderer after you." She listed. The Mass murderer of which happened to be an animagus who turned into said black dog. Not coincidental at all.

"Hey," she said and Harry rose an eyebrow. "Say you never saw that death omen on the book cover, but you still saw the dog twice… what would you think?" she asked.

Harry's forehead furrowed and he glanced down thoughtful. "I'd think I was seeing things."

"After seeing it twice?" she asked, not believing him.

"Well, it'd be weird that I was being followed by a dog."

Skylar chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, probably. If it's just a dog."

"It's not, it's a death omen."

"Harry, it can't be a death omen, you're still alive, after seeing it twice."

"Barely."

"Barely or not." She argued, crossing her arms stubbornly.

"What if it's just going to follow me until I die?" he asked.

"Poppy-cock." She shrugged and Harry blinked at her surprised before he started laughing.

"Thanks Skylar."

Skylar looked at him confused. "For what?"

"Well, I knew if I told Ron, he's start panicking and Hermione doesn't believe in that stuff, so she'd just scoff." He shrugged.

"I definitely panicked," she admitted.

"For like two-seconds." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Still panicked." She mumbled and Harry chuckled. The girl smiled at him before he took a breath and sighed. Skylar watched him for a moment.

"That's not all that's bothering you…" she said and he looked up at her. Their eyes locked and Skylar's widened, gapping slightly. She shuffled herself closer to Harry.

"You heard your mother?" she whispered. Harry watched her before he nodded.

"When the dementors come close, I hear her screaming… it progressed yesterday. I heard her pleading for me, pleading for Voldemort not to hurt me… and then his laughter."

"Oh Harry." She mumbled. He heard his mother's death? Heard You-Know-Who kill her mercilessly. She frowned.

"I didn't realise who was screaming until yesterday." He muttered.

"Dementors bring out the worst of our memories, taking away all the happy. Those in Azkaban go mad with misery. I suppose you hearing your parents dying, whether you remember the memory or not, is the worst memory you would have. Nothing can be worse than witnessing people you love die." She mumbled.

"It doesn't explain why they affect me so badly." Harry argued.

"It does actually," Skylar said and Harry looked at her confused. "Think about it, how many of us have seen people die, have had people die for us? How many of us were thrown into families like the Dursleys, where we were malnourished and bullied? How many of us faced You-Know-Who twice and a giant snake?" She asked. "You've gone through some terribly scary stuff, things that would take away anyone's energy."

"You…" Harry took a breath. "You don't think I'm weak?"

"God Harry, I've seen what you've been through, you stood up to the Basilisk last year, not me, you faced You-Know-Who twice in a row, after surviving him thirteen years ago. We all know you're not weak." She said.

"Don't feel it… I'm the only one passing out."

"You're the only one with such horrifying memories to cause such." Skylar said.

"So I can't do anything about it?"

"There's a weakness for everything, I suppose you'll just have to find the dementors' weakness." Skylar said.

"Oh is it that easy?"

"I didn't say it was easy, just that there was hope." She said rolling her eyes.

"Don't suppose you've got such advice for the grim." Harry sighed.

Skylar dropped her head. "That's more complicated." She mumbled.

Harry's forehead furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Skylar glanced at him and rolled her lips as she thought. "Well, is it a real death omen? Or just a dog? If it's just a dog, why is it following you?" she asked.

"Strange to think, that if it is a dog, it followed me from Surrey." He mumbled.

"Clearly a devoted dog." Skylar nodded and Harry looked at her before they both started laughing.

"There she is!" The two turned to see Ron and Hermione moving into the Hospital wing and they shot them both a grin.

"Morning."

"I woke up to find you gone, I was worried for a moment?" Hermione confessed as the two joined Skylar at Harry's bedside.

"I just woke up early." Skylar shrugged. "Figured I'd come see if Harry wanted some company." Skylar smiled at him and he nodded. He was grateful she didn't say anything, he didn't need to worry Ron or have Hermione think he was being silly, and she knew that.

"I was hoping to talk to you." Hermione confessed.

"What for?" Ron questioned.

"The werewolf essay." Hermione said simply and Skylar turned to look at her. Hermione's gaze lingered on Skylar before turning back to Ron. "You two aren't doing it so there's no use talking to you." Skylar stared at the girl and then glanced at the two boys.

_Oh boy… _she mumbled.

"What you do the essay for anyway?" Ron questioned, "It's not Lupin's homework, it's Snape being a git."

"Ron!" Hermione scolded.

"Of course you beat us to it." Fred's voice sounded and the Gryffindor Quidditch team had paraded into the hospital wing, joining the four third years.

"Did you three leave yesterday?" George asked teasingly.

"You saw us at dinner." Skylar said obviously.

"Did we though?" George responded. Skylar rose an eyebrow at they both grinned.

Wood was with the team now, he didn't look any happier than yesterday. He turned to his seeker, who'd also noticed his presence.

"Harry," Oliver Wood's voice was hollow, sort of dead. "I don't blame you in the slightest. It was a really unlucky circumstance." He assured.

"It was only the first game, plenty of time to turn it around." Skylar assured with a smile.

"Well said Sky." George grinned.

"And with such an incredible quidditch team, we can make an excellent comeback no matter what." The auburn haired girl continued.

"Careful Wood, she's better at speeches than you are." Fred said nudging his captain.

"She's cheating, she can read all your minds." Ron said.

"How dare you!" Skylar scolded mockingly. "I would never do that to say exactly what they're all thinking and need to hear." She crossed her arms stubbornly as everyone laughed and she cracked a grin. Even Wood managed to smile a little bit and he placed a hand on her shoulder as she smiled at him.

"Besides the weather should increase after Christmas and that's at least one obstacle out of the way. I don't know if I'd like to sit in such a wet game again." Skylar muttered.

"Sorry we had to make you come out in it." Fred mocked.

"You should be." She snapped back stubbornly, earning another laugh. She turned to Harry and gave him a wink and he smiled back gratefully. Skylar had a way of making people feel better, the ability to know what they were all thinking and feeling gave her quite the advantage after all.

"All we need is a new broom for Harry…" Skylar said thinking, "You know my mum would buy you that Firebolt if you asked her." She grinned.

"I can't ask her for that!" Harry admitted looking worried as the team all looked excited, surprised and impressed.

"Well I can." Skylar grinned. "I'll just subtly mention that your broom got smashed, you need a new one and she'll probably ask me what kind and I'll say, 'Well remember that broom Harry, Ron and Leon were all obsessed over in Quidditch Quality Supplies, that one would work.' And she'd go and do it."

"Could she do that for all of us?" George asked grinning.

"Your mum might kill her if she did." Skylar confessed, "Especially if you asked for it." And the Weasleys couldn't help but agreed as everyone laughed.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30:

Harry was released from the Hospital wing on Monday, ready for his classes. He joined in on the classes, doing his best to ignore Draco. The boy was absolutely beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. He had finally taken off his bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom.

"Show's how much of a life he has." Skylar said as she watched him at breakfast. "Nothing better to do."

"You should go tell him off." Ron said.

Skylar groaned. "Do I have to?" she wined.

"You should, for Harry's sake."

"Harry doesn't need me fighting his battles for him." Skylar grumbled. Ron rolled his eyes but didn't force the girl.

Skylar however wished she had been bothered to say something, for Draco spent much of their next Potions class doing dementor imitations across the dungeon. Ron finally cracked and flung a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.

"Worth it!" Skylar said as she laughed while they walked up the stairs towards the Entrance Hall. "Did you see Draco's face!?" She held her stomach with laughter and the boy in question walked past, sneering at her with slight embarrassment.

"You want to get back at him for imitating you falling off your broom Harry, you should imitate his expression." Skylar snickered.

Defence Against the Dark Arts was after lunch, and the Gryffindors trooped towards the room with anticipation. Would Snape be taking the class again, or would Professor Lupin be back?

"Remus should be back." Skylar smiled.

"How do you know?"

"Intuition." Skylar shrugged.

Hermione made a scoffing noise and Skylar turned to look at her confused.

"What?"

"Well, I don't think that's why you know." Hermione confessed.

Skylar blinked. "What makes you say that?" she asked as the two boys shared a surprised look.

"Well, you've known him a while right?" Hermione asked.

"Forever." Skylar nodded confused.

"Well then." Hermione shrugged.

"What are you going on about Hermione?" Ron questioned.

"Skylar knows." Hermione shrugged.

"Honestly I'm not sure if I do…" Skylar mumbled as they reached the door to Remus' classroom. Ron looked at it apprehensively. "If Snape's teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off," said Ron. "Check who's in there, Hermione."

Hermione peered around the classroom door.

"It's okay!"

Professor Lupin was back at work. Skylar frowned at him as she looked him over, it certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes. He clearly hadn't been able to sleep during the last week. Nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats.

"You know about him don't you." Hermione whispered into Skylar's ear.

"You're going to have to be more specific." Skylar returned.

"You know he's a you-know-what." Hermione said.

"A you-know—" It clicked and Skylar looked at Hermione in surprise. "How do you know?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

"The essay." She said and Skylar's forehead furrowed as the entire class began to burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behaviour while Remus had been ill. Skylar was unable to question Hermione further as the babble of complaints filled the air.

"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"

"We don't know anything about werewolves —"

"— two rolls of parchment!"

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Remus asked, frowning slightly.

The babble broke out again.

"Yes, but he said we were really behind —"

"— he wouldn't listen —"

"— _two rolls of parchment_!"

Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face. "Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

Hermione of course was disappointed. "Oh _no,_I've already finished it!"

They had a very enjoyable lesson. Remus had brought along a glass box containing a hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless-looking.

"Lures travellers into bogs," said Professor Lupin as they took notes. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead — people follow the light — then —"

The hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass.

When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door. Hermione grabbed Skylar and yanked her from the room, away from the two boys.

"Hermione!" Skylar complained.

Hermione found an empty classroom and she pulled Skylar inside before closing the door behind her.

"How can you be friends with him!?" She asked looking frantic.

"What kind of question is that?" Skylar demanded, her hands on her hips.

"He's a werewolf!" Hermione snapped, glancing at the door as she lowered her voice over the last word.

"I'm aware Hermione." Skylar nodded, "He's still a person though, regardless of his condition."

"Condition?!" Hermione asked.

"He didn't ask to be this way, you've met him Hermione, he's hardly monstrous. And thanks to the Wolfsbane potion Snape makes, he's completely harmless."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because it was one of the requirements the governors, teachers and Remus agreed to when he was hired." Skylar admitted.

"You mean the teachers and governors know?!" Hermione demanded.

"Of course they know." Skylar said obviously, "Remus has been a werewolf since he was a child, since before he started Hogwarts. When Dumbledore became headmaster, he found a way to allow Remus to still come here to school. Dumbledore's known since before Remus was eleven." Skylar admitted.

"And he still agreed, what about all of us?" Hermione asked, her voice breaking an octave.

"You're treating Remus as if he's an awful monster!" Skylar snapped and Hermione looked a bit surprised by Skylar's tone.

Skylar took a breath. "Look. There are some werewolves that embrace the monster within them that comes out once a month. And then there are werewolves, like Remus, who try to fit in with society and its laws, despite being what he is. Hermione he can't get a job because of who he is. Remus was a prefect, straight A's, so bright, and he's getting jobs way below his pay grade for something he cannot help. He's so kind and helpful and caring. I've known him for years, I'd know if he was dangerous." Skylar assured, "My parents offered for him to live with us and _he _was the one who refused because of his condition. He'd never wish such a fate on another."

Hermione pursed her lips, looking at Skylar, seeing her conviction.

"This is Remus' chance to finally get somewhere, to put forth his talents and be accepted, please don't tell anyone." Skylar pleaded.

Hermione sighed. "Well… I suppose he is a great teacher, and he has helped us a lot… and if Dumbledore knows and trusts him…" she mumbled. She looked at Skylar. "You're sure?"

"Positive." Skylar nodded, "Stake my gift on it."

Hermione chuckled and nodded. "Alright." she agreed and Skylar grinned before hugging the girl.

"So… now you know something, I kinda have a question for you too…" Skylar confessed.

Hermione sighed, as if she knew exactly what was coming.

"I know you fixed up some means with Professor McGonagall to get to all your classes, and I also know you're not allowed to tell us, and that's why you haven't, but, are you all right?" Skylar asked pulling back to look at the bushy-haired girl. "Fifteen classes, and three at the same time… that's gotta be tough."

"I can manage." Hermione nodded.

"Yeah, this side of Christmas." Skylar mumbled and the girl rolled her eyes. "I can't understand how you're managing with the work load, let along the class clashes." Skylar admitted.

Hermione shrugged, but as her brown eyes locked on with the sapphire-blue of Skylar's, the girl looked surprised.

"No!" She said. Hermione blinked at her before she hit the girl.

"Sky!" She scolded.

"You were the one thinking about it!" Skylar admitted.

"You've managed all term so far!" Hermione snapped.

"Yeah when there have been several other people around me." Skylar mumbled frowning. "I've been able to stop myself by diverting my attention."

Hermione crossed her arms and huffed.

Skylar rolled her lips. "Did they really give you a timeturner?" she asked grinning. Hermione's eyes narrowed and Skylar rolled her eyes. "Look you didn't tell me and I bet McGonagall was expecting it to happen sooner or later. Makes so much sense now, how you suddenly disappear and reappear again and how you get to your lessons…" Skylar frowned, "that must be exhausting…" she mumbled.

"You know I made all sorts of promises not to tell anyone."

"You didn't tell me." Skylar grinned. "That's what's okay about it."

"I don't know about that. But you cannot tell the boys!"

"Course not. There's a reason it's a secret." Skylar suddenly gasped, "Did my dad know about this?"

"Well, he is on the governors and part of the Ministry… McGonagall might have talked to him about it." Hermione shrugged.

"Traitor." Skylar grumbled and Hermione chuckled. Skylar looked at her and contemplated for a moment. "I suppose if it's a time turner I can't do anything to help can I?"

"Apart from helping me keep it from Harry and Ron, no." Hermione nodded. "Besides, you have your own problems to worry about, like the fact that your brother has a werewolf for a godfather."

"You're never going to let that go are you." Skylar grumbled. It wasn't even that bad. Besides, Harry had a mass murderer for one.

"What? We have a teacher who's a werewolf, they lose control once a month." Hermione mumbled.

"Unless they drink the wolfsbane potion, keeps their mind in control and allows them to be harmless." Skylar smiled. "Why do you think Remus looks so battered, he's been having to stay awake the past week and take that dreadful potion." She frowned, "He said it's awful."

"At least Snape's not trying to poison him."

"Still wouldn't put it past him." Skylar mumbled. She moved for the door and Hermione followed her out as they headed off.

"I don't know if that would be smart, like you said, Snape wouldn't do it under Dumbledore's nose."

"Besides, they'd know how it happened if the timing matched up." Skylar shrugged.

"Where have you two been?" Ron's voice sounded as they reached the two.

"Bathroom." Skylar smiled instantly and Hermione blinked, surprised by her quick response before nodding. "Why?"

"Professor Lupin's agreed to teach me to repel dementors." Harry said.

"Really?" Skylar grinned.

"Next term, after the holidays, in time for the next game. He's gonna teach me how to fight them." Harry nodded.

"I told you they'd have a weakness." Skylar smiled.

"You're beginning to sound like a know-it-all. We already have one of those." Ron said pointing to Hermione, who scowled.

"Hermione knows books, I know minds. We're both as bad as each other." Skylar shrugged. "You're just going to have to deal with it."

"Or what?" Ron asked smirking.

"Or go find some other friends, we're getting bored of you anyway." She said, crossing her arms. Hermione and Harry snickered.

"Coming from the girl who was bored just because I went to Egypt."

"And then Harry came over and entertained me. How easily replaceable you are." Skylar grinned. Ron gapped at her and Harry and Hermione laughed at his expression. "I wonder what's for dinner…" Skylar said thoughtfully.

"You know you can't get rid of me right?" Ron said, "You're too good friends with my sister, who's being crushed on by your younger brother, and since when can the twins and Nick ever be separated?"

"I think you're getting a bit emotional there Ronald, what's this, sad at the idea of not being my friend?"

Ron's ears went pink. Skylar grinned.

"Sky, stop teasing him." Harry said,

"What? It's fun." She mumbled guiltily.

"Says you." Ron grumbled.

"Oh come on, as if you think I'd replace you, you're my wizard friend. You're the only one who knows of our childhoods, the bands we're into, the Quidditch teams, the nursery rhymes, I can't get rid of you." Skylar assured, giving Ron a clap on the shoulder, earning a raised eyebrow from the boy in return.

"Besides, I'd miss your ghoul in the attic too much." She said and Ron shot her a scowl.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31:

Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in the next Quidditch match at the end of November, bringing the spirit back to Gryffindor as they were not out of the running. With Gryffindor back in the running to win the Quidditch cup, Wood had began to repossess his manic energy. He immediately started to work his team as hard as ever to try and get them back on top, his last win before he graduated was at stake.

The terrifyingly stormy weather had been replaced with a chilly haze of rain that persisted into December. The wind had calmed down, the thunder and lightning had stopped and the rain had become more miserable than angry.

The end of term was fast approaching, bringing with it the excitement of the holidays. Two weeks before the end of term, the sky lightened. A dazzling opaline white shone over them all from the sky and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning to be covered in a glittering frost.

Christmas was on the way.

The buzz of Christmas began first with Professor Flitwick. He decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The buzz began to grow as the holidays approached and everyone began to discuss their plans for the break. Nick had decided he was going to go home for Christmas, along with the Weasley twins and Percy, while Skylar, Hermione and Ron all decided to stay with Harry. Ron made the excuse that he wanted to be away from Percy, while Hermione said it was the library she needed.

"Well, I'm staying so Harry's not alone." Skylar shrugged, being upfront. Ron and Hermione shot her a look for being open for her reason while Harry grinned at her. He was grateful not to be alone.

Leon seemed to think that staying was what he wanted to do also.

"Why are you staying Leon?" Skylar asked confused.

"Why not?" Leon questioned.

"Ginny's going home though, don't you want to go home also?" Skylar asked. "You can spend some quality time with just her."

"And be with Nick, the twins and Percy?" he asked frowning.

"Why do you say that like it's a bad thing?" Skylar asked.

"They'll just tease me."

"Doubtful. Percy will hide in his room, and the twins and Nick wont tease you that much, they'll be busy with… what ever." Skylar mumbled unsurely.

"What, so I be with her by myself?" Leon looked rather unsure by such an act.

"Is that anything new?" Skylar asked, an eyebrow raised. "You're with her every day here, you have classes together."

"With others."

"Leon, you're gonna have to be alone with her at some point." Skylar confessed. "She wont be spending time with me, everyone else will be busy. I mean you both have an interest in Quidditch, and her brothers never let her play with them. Why not give her that chance for once? You really wanna pass up such an opportunity?"

Leon looked at his sister, his expression empty.

"What? This could be your chance." She grinned.

"Sky, it's not like she likes me back." Leon said plainly.

Skylar's heart broke and Hermione looked down as well at the belief.

"Oh Leo,"

"Don't go all sappy on me." He grumbled before getting up and leaving the table.

"That's so sad." Hermione frowned.

"Besides, I'm pretty sure Ginny does like Leon." Skylar said thinking.

Ron chocked on his pumpkin juice. "What?"

"She just doesn't know it yet." Skylar shrugged and Ron looked at her incredulously while Harry chuckled.

In the end Leon was persuaded, without Skylar needing to say anything more, and he decided to go home with Nick.

"None of my friends are staying here." He shrugged when Skylar asked him why he'd changed his mind.

"Well, if that's the case. Can you do me a favour?" she asked. "Talk to dad about Black will you." She mumbled, too quietly for anyone else to overhear.

Skylar had sent her father a letter about Harry seeing the grim in the Quidditch stands, about Sirius Black possibly having been there, but she had yet to receive a reply. She hadn't had the courage to tell Remus yet, besides, he'd been busy what with the moon being full.

"Dad hasn't had much free time since Black broke into the school and I haven't really seen him." She confessed.

"Me either, I think he was at dinner a while ago but that was it…" Leon agreed.

"Talk to him about it wont you?" Skylar asked. "I really don't know what to do." She frowned. Leon nodded in agreement.

To everyone's delight except Harry's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term.

"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" said Hermione. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"

"Wont they think it's weird?" Skylar asked.

"Maybe a few years ago, but they've rather got used to all the magic now." Hermione shrugged.

"Considering how often muggles ignore magic, I'm a bit surprised about that." Skylar mumbled. She glanced at Harry and noticed his disappointment, of course he wouldn't be excited about Hogsmeade.

She pursed her lips as she glanced at him before sitting back in her chair. "I'm not going." She said.

The three all looked up at her surprised.

"What?" Hermione and Ron questioned.

"Come on, we can't all leave Harry here by himself right before Christmas." She believed, and both Hermione and Ron glanced at the boy. "I already got most of the stuff I need, I can owl order the rest." She crossed her arms stubbornly.

Harry blinked at her. "No, Sky, don't. It'll be great to go before Christmas."

"Why? It's just a village."

"It's Hogsmeade." Ron said,

"I already went once." She said, "I'll live till the next time."

"That could be ages." Ron thought.

"Ron, we had this argument last time."

"And you changed your mind." Ron reminded her.

"Who cares. If Harry can't come, then I'm not leaving him by himself a second time."

"You're being stubborn." Ron said,

"I'm being selfless." She corrected. "I went last time despite wanting Harry to have some company, why can't I actually do it this time?"

Hermione and Ron looked at Harry who was smiling slightly. The two didn't really have an answer.

"Look, Sky, I really appreciate it, but I'd hate for you to miss out." Harry said.

"Not like I'm missing anything, freezing cold, snow everywhere, a few sweets that aren't going anywhere and a butterbeer that's been around forever." She shrugged.

"You forgot Zonko's joke shop." Ron said.

"Wrong Rosenwald, Nick's the one who like's that place, along with the twins—" Skylar cut off. The twins… they knew every way out of the castle what with the map they had… maybe Harry could go…?

She shut the idea down instantly, Black was out there, Harry walking along passages that Black definitely knew about! That was a terrible idea!

But it wasn't like he'd know if Harry was in the tunnels… and maybe he'd think Harry was already in Hogsmeade anyway, he couldn't know Harry didn't get permission… right?

Skylar slumped.

"You really do want to go don't you?" Ron grinned, thinking her unsure expression was her resolve breaking. "What, think of a present for Nick from Zonko's?"

"Not exactly." She mumbled, turning to glance around the common room and at the Weasley twins. They were sitting on a few chairs, doing something that was definitely not homework with Nick beside them. She watched them for a moment, bitting her lip in contemplation.

"I'll be right back." She decided suddenly and she got up. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at one another confused as she walked over to the three boys.

"Okay." She said quietly, leaning down to their level, the three turning to her as she caught their attention.

"Well, well, Miss Rosenwald, what can we do for you?" George asked, giving her his attention.

"I'm at a bit of a crossroads." She admitted.

"How can we help?" Fred grinned.

Skylar looked at Nick and then turned back to the twins. "Harry isn't allowed in Hogsmeade, yeah?"

"Yeah." The twins chorused.

"But you guys know every passageway out of the castle," she continued.

"We do."

"My dilemma is, should Harry be shown the passageways out of the castle and maybe let him go to Hogsmeade…?" she asked. Nick rose an eyebrow at her.

"Aren't you worried about him getting… in trouble?" he asked, being discrete.

"Very." She nodded. "But I also don't know if it's likely to happen so…"

"And how do you suggest we show Harry the passageways?" Fred asked.

Skylar looked disappointed they'd even asked. "Let's not pretend that we four don't all know about the Marauders Map please."

The twins blinked at her and then turned to Nick.

"Don't blame him." She said before they could say anything. "You two are terrible at keeping secrets." She confessed. Even though it was Nick who told her and Leon about the map in the first place.

Fred and George both looked offended, sharing a glance with one another.

"I just want Harry to have a nice Christmas, he's literally going to be the only third year left here at Hogwarts." she said, "But, you boys do what you want." She said, with a heavy sigh. She clapped them both on the shoulders, gave Nick a look, who had his eyes narrowed at her, before she went back over to Harry, Hermione and Ron, who had all been watching her.

"What on earth was that about?" Ron demanded.

"Christmas." She said.

"Really?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"I can't talk to them without you being worried?" Skylar asked her as she sat back down.

"No." She confessed.

Skylar looked at her with a deadpan look. "Ouch, glad for your confidence." She muttered. "But fine then," she turned to give Harry a smirk, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Harry rose an eyebrow as Skylar reached for her bag, pulling out her Ancient runes text books to begin her homework.

"Sky," Hermione said sternly

"Don't spoil the surprise Hermione." Skylar returned, "Some things are better left unknown." Hermione narrowed her eyes and then stuck her tongue out at the girl. Skylar blinked before she started laughing.

"Did you just do something as childish as stick your tongue out at me?" she asked through her laughs. Harry and Ron were staring at Hermione in shock as the girl couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Eh… So, back to Hogsmeade?" Ron asked, looking very unsure.

Skylar looked up from her book and at the three of them. She contemplated for a moment. "I'll think about it." She said. She then looked at Ron. "What is it you want me to buy anyway?"

"I never said anything."

"You didn't have to." She mumbled and he looked at her annoyed for being caught out. "Come on, spit it out, what do you want for Christmas?" she asked, an eyebrow raised in expectation.

Ron smiled sheepishly and Skylar rolled her eyes at him.

"Harry, you could use the time to think about a new broom." Hermione offered.

Harry had been riding one of the schools broom, an old, ancient as Harry put it, Shooting Star. It wasn't nearly as good as his old Nimbus had been.

"You can use _Which Broomstick, _it's got every model in it and their aspects. You're bound to find a good one! Wood's likely got one." Ron nodded in agreement.

"Could just get another Nimbus, I'm sure they'll have a 2002 version by now." Skylar said thinking, "I mean it was a good broom, and if it isn't broken," she shrugged.

Harry nodded, but it could be seen that he wasn't happy regardless. Skylar turned and glanced at Nick with the Weasley twins, they are watching them and she rose an eyebrow. Her expression said 'Well, have you decided?'.

The three boys shared a look before Nick smirked. Skylar grinned back and sat herself down in her armchair proudly.

Only to have the pride diminish as she remembered Harry wasn't supposed to leave the school… her dad would kill her if he learnt of her involvement in sneaking Harry from the Castle.

Was she a bad friend, for risking his safety by helping him sneak out? Or a good friend for letting him join them in Hogsmeade which would make him happy?

_Talk about a crossroads… _she thought, frowning.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32:

On Saturday morning, Skylar dressed in a heavy cloak, scarves and a beanie, she grabbed an extra cloak just in case, before heading for the Common room with Hermione. Ron and Harry were waiting for the two and they made their way towards the entrance hall. Harry accompanied them to wish them fair well, before he turned and made his way alone up the Marble Staircase.

"We should bring him back something nice for Christmas." Hermione said as they watched him leave before turning to head out into the snow.

"Don't worry," Skylar smiled, "I'm sure he'll have a good day."

"Why?" Ron asked, "What do you know this time?"

"Let's just say I have a hunch." She shrugged.

"I hate how you do that." Ron grumbled. "If you know something either tell us about it, or don't say anything at all."

"Now where would be the fun in that?" Skylar asked. Her voice cut off as she rose her scarf to cover her mouth and nose against the blizzard. Wind and snow were blowing everywhere and the three squinted in an attempt to keep it from their eyes.

"Let's head into Honeydukes, it'll be warm in there." Ron said over the wind.

The two girls agreed and they hurried down the lane to Hogsmeade. The train station was buried under snow and Hogsmeade came into view.

Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees.

Honeydukes was the first shop on their left and they hurried through its doors. There were already many Hogwarts students within the shop and the stocks on the shelves were already beginning to deplete as people bought Christmas presents.

Skylar shook her hair, brushing the top of her beanie to remove the snow that had accumulated there before dropping her scarf from her face. It was very warm in here, comfortably, and the three third graders moved from the doorway.

"Right, mum loves the Creamy nougat, so I need to get some of those." Skylar confessed and she moved through the growing crowd to get some off the shelf before they vanished. She grabbed some peppermint toads with a grin and Ron rose an eyebrow at her.

"Who are those for?"

"Me." She shrugged. "I love peppermint." She grinned. Hermione and Ron chuckled at her. "I think Leon might like these Black pepper imps or Ice Mice, which do you think Ron?"

"I'd go the Ice Mice, you don't want him burning Ginny do you?" he rose an eyebrow at her.

"Oh come on, don't go all protective older brother on me, Leon's great." Skylar smiled. "But I'll choose the Ice Mice anyway." And she grabbed these also.

"What about for Harry?" Hermione offered, looking around.

"Unusual Tastes?" Ron said and the two girls looked at him.

"What?" they asked. Ron responded by pointing at a sign. It was hanging over shelves and they moved over to it, now having to squeeze with the amount of students packed within the small store, to the shelf in the farthest corner of the shop.

"Gosh, they were right about unusual tastes." Skylar said frowning. There were insect sweets and blood lollipops amongst the stock. "Why would Harry have such taste?" she asked.

"You never know, those Muggles have all sorts of weird things." Ron shrugged. "Like these." He pointed to the tray of blood-flavoured lollipops.

"Not like those." Skylar disagreed.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione disagreed.

"How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose. Skylar's forehead furrowed before she turned and found Harry standing right beside her, she jumped in surprise and placed a hand on her chest, taking a breath to calm her racing heart.

"Definitely not," he answered.

Ron nearly dropped the jar.

Skylar couldn't help but grin before she started snickering as Hermione and Ron turned to him.

"_Harry_!" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How — how did you — ?"

"Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed, "you've learned to Apparate!"

"'Course I haven't," said Harry before he turned to Skylar. She smiled. "The Weasley twins gave me a map of Hogwarts, it was made by four people who signed it with their nicknames." He said, looking at the other two. "It shows everyone in the castle, and what they're doing all the time."

"What map?" Ron asked looking confused.

"They gave it to you? Like to keep?" Skylar asked surprised. "I just asked them to maybe tell you about the secret passages out of the school."

"Secret passageways?" Hermione asked looking sternly.

"There are heaps of passageways out of the school." Skylar said simply. "What with Harry having to stay behind I thought, maybe, it would be a nice Christmas present if he could come to Hogsmeade, so I sort of mentioned it to the twins…" she mumbled.

"You knew they had this map?" Harry asked.

"Course I did. Nick told me and Leon about them stealing it when he came home for Christmas in his first year. We were rather excited to learn about it but it's a hard legacy to live up to." She mumbled. "I didn't expect Fred and George to give it to you." She admitted.

"They said my needs were better than theirs and that they already knew it off by heart." Harry admitted.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to _me_!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!"

"Nick never gave it to me either." Skylar confessed with an amused look on her face.

"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

"No, I'm not!" said Harry as Skylar said, "No he's not."

"Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione. "Hand in something that good?"

"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Nick, Fred and George had nicked it!"

"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione hissed. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!"

"That doesn't mean we can give in that map." Skylar said, "It'd get a lot of people into trouble, including the people who made it!"

"No one knows who made it Skylar, that's why it's signed with funny names."

"They're nicknames and they're highly relevant." Skylar argued.

The three blinked at her. "How do you know?" they chorused.

Skylar looked at them all and then smiled guiltily. "Well, my dad's Sabre." She admitted.

"Sabre?" Ron asked.

"Moony, Wormtail, Sabre, Padfoot and Prongs." She said.

Ron still didn't understand.

"The map was made by The Marauders, which is why it's called the Marauder's map." Harry said. "The five names on the front cover are Moony, Wormtail, Sabre, Padfoot and Prongs." He looked at Skylar. "Your dad made this map?"

"Not just my dad." She smiled, "He and his friends when they were at school. And we can't dob them in." She said to Hermione.

"Your dad did that?" Ron blinked and Skylar shrugged.

"But Black—"

"He can't be getting in through a passage," said Harry quickly, cutting Hermione off. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And of the other three — one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through — well — it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar, so unless he knew it was there…"

"Black can't get into Honeydukes to use it." Skylar assured, "I mean, how easy would that be for him?" she asked.

"Well…" Hermione mumbled.

Ron, however, cleared his throat significantly, and pointed to a notice posted on the inside of the sweetshop door.

— BY ORDER OF —

THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

_Customers are reminded that until further notice, dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black. It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall. _

_Merry Christmas!_

"See?" said Ron quietly. "I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn't they? They live over the shop!"

"Yes, but — but —" Hermione seemed to be struggling to find another problem. "Look, Harry still shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade. He hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, he'll be in so much trouble! And it's not nightfall yet — what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?"

"He'd have a job spotting Harry in this," said Ron, nodding through the mullioned windows at the thick, swirling snow. "Come on, Hermione, it's Christmas. Harry deserves a break."

Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried as she turned to Skylar. "I thought you were worried about him what with Black after him."

"I am, but I thought over the probability of it all, and the fact that Sirius Black would know Harry was going to be in the tunnels is unlikely and if he found out Harry wasn't allowed in Hogsmeade somehow, then maybe it was better if Harry was here." She shrugged.

"And if he thinks he's in Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked.

"He'd have come regardless, which seems silly." Skylar thought. "Come on Hermione, just once." Skylar pouted.

Hermione rose an eyebrow at her.

"Are you going to report me?" Harry asked her, grinning.

"Oh — of course not — but honestly, Harry —"

"Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Harry?" said Ron, grabbing him and leading him over to their barrel. "And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven — it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick." Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box. "Reckon Fred'd take a bit of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?"

"Come on Ron, there's more things to see than just Hogsmeade." Skylar grinned. "I'm going to pay for my things."

"Me too." Hermione said as she grabbed some splintery Toothflossing Stringmints. Ron also grabbed several sweets and the three paid before leaving Honeydukes for the blizzard outside.

Before they opened the door Skylar moved behind Harry and the three were surprised when she looped the spare cloak she'd brought over his shoulders.

"You had a spare cloak?" Harry questioned.

"Just in case." She winked with a shrug.

"Shows how dead set she was on you coming." Ron said. "I can't believe you never told me about that map," he said to her.

"What good would it have done you?" she wondered, "And what would you use it for?"

"What about all the times we've been out at night? Our venture into the forest last year?"

"I don't think the map would have changed that situation." Skylar said. "Come on," she pulled her scarf up over her nose and opened the door.

They headed up the street, heads bowed against the wind, Ron and Hermione shouting through their scarves.

"That's the post office —"

"Zonko's is up there —"

"We could go up to the Shrieking Shack —"

"Tell you what," said Ron, his teeth chattering, "shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"

"Agreed." Skylar nodded. So they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn.

It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky, as it had been last time they'd come, only now there were more customers in the inn. Madam Rosmerta was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar as Ron spotted her.

"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red.

"Wow." Skylar sighed, "Must be his first crush."

Hermione rolled her eyes before she lead the way to a table, Skylar and Harry following. They chose one at the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, standing beside a fireplace.

Ron came back five minutes later, carrying four foaming tankards of hot butterbeer.

"Merry Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard.

The drink tasted just as good as it had last time and Skylar licked her lips, removing any foam that had planted itself there, happily.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33:

The door to the Three Broomsticks opened, the cold wind blowing towards the four third-years as several people trooped into the room. Harry looked over the rim of his tankard and choked.

Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak — Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic.

In an instant, Ron and Hermione, on either side of Harry, had both placed hands on the top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table. The three watched them as they moved over to the bar, ordered drinks and then walked towards the three of them. Skylar looked at Hermione worried.

"Do something!" She mouthed.

Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it at the Christmas tree. "_Mobiliarbus_."

The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways, and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. The chairs of the neighbouring table sounded as the four sat down at the table right beside theirs, grunts and sighs sounding as the teachers and minister sat down.

More footsteps sounded and Rosmerta's voice began.

"A small gillywater —"

"Mine," said Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Four pints of mulled mead —"

"Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid.

"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella —"

"Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips.

"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister."

"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge's voice. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us…"

"Well, thank you very much, Minister."

Rosmerta walked away before coming back again, Hermione looked at Skylar worried and she had a frown on her face also. What if they couldn't get to the door and get Harry out in time to get back to Hogwarts? Back into Honeydukes before it closed? If ever there was a time to need the Invisibility cloak Harry had inherited from his father, now was definitely it.

"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" came Madam Rosmerta's voice.

There was a pause and Fudge turned slightly to look for listeners. Ron, Hermione and Skylar all bent closer behind the tree to stop from being seen.

"What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"

"I did hear a rumour," admitted Madam Rosmerta.

"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.

"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.

"You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away… It's very bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution… unfortunate, but there you are… I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds."

"I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"

"Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground.

"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse… We all know what Black's capable of…"

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought… I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

Skylar closed her eyes and dropped her head. Everyone said that, dad and Remus had never been more surprised.

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."

Skylar's eyes opened and she rose her head. Hermione and Ron were looking at her. Skylar placed her hands over her mouth.

No! No they couldn't!

"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do," said Fudge.

"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friends were?"

"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the others, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the triple act, Sirius Black, Nathaniel Rosenwald and James Potter!"

Skylar closed her eyes.

"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black, Rosenwald and Potter. Ring-leaders of their little gang. All very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers —"

"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers! Of course Rosenwald and Black are cousins." Chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"

"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."

Hermione and Ron gave Skylar a startled look, but she'd buried her face into her hands, she shook her head ever so slightly. She knew Harry would find out! She knew it would happen, and it happened without coming from her! Harry was never going to forgive her for keeping this from him!

"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Worse even than that, m'dear…" Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."

"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest.

Professor Flitwick cleared his throat. "An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"

"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."

"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."

"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"

"He did," said Fudge heavily. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed —"

"Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it —"

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.

"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.

"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.

"Hagrid, please!" said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"

"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him —' Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won't need it anymore,' he says.

"I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him.

"_But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh_? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em anymore…"

A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!"

"Alas, if only we had," said Fudge bitterly. "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew — another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."

"Pettigrew… that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Madam Rosmerta.

"Hero-worshipped Black, Rosenwald and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I — how I regret that now…" She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.

"There, now, Minerva," said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses — Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later — told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…"

Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy… foolish boy… he was always hopeless at duelling… should have left it to the Ministry…"

"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands — I'd've ripped him limb — from — limb," Hagrid growled.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," said Fudge sharply. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I — I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of bloodstained robes and a few — a few fragments —"

Skylar's forehead furrowed. What? Her dad had never told her that bit… Peter's robes were left behind? How could Black had blown Peter apart, but not his clothes?

Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown.

"Well, there you have it, Rosmerta," said Fudge thickly. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."

Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh.

"Is it true he's mad, Minister?"

"I wish I could say that he was," said Fudge slowly. "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man — cruel… pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how _normal _Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored — asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the dementors seemed to be having on him — and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."

"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"

"I daresay that is his — er — eventual plan," said Fudge evasively. "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again…"

There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.

"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall. One by one, the pairs of feet took the weight of their owners as they stood up once more; hems of cloaks swung into sight, and Madam Rosemerta disappeared behind the bar. The door of the Three Broomsticks opened again, there was another flurry of snow, and the teachers had disappeared.

Ron and Hermione looked at Skylar before ducking under the table. Skylar was still, aware of Harry below, under the table, aware that the entire truth was now out.

"Harry?"

But none of them seemed to be able to say much more.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34:

None of them spoke as they left the Three Broomsticks. They headed back to Honeydukes, the weather having calmed a little bit, before Harry vanished within it, still crowded, leaving Hermione, Ron and Skylar standing at the entrance. Hermione and Ron both turned to Skylar, she was looking at her feet.

"You knew… didn't you." Hermione said, her voice quiet. It wasn't a question.

Skylar couldn't bring herself to look at them, but she nodded.

"You never told him?" Hermione asked. Skylar looked at them now and she blinked as she felt the guilt in her stomach pool.

"I… I couldn't." She whispered. She took a breath. "Black's the reason Harry's parents are gone… How would that make you feel…? Your father's best friend…" she trailed off. "My dad told me not to tell him too… They were worried that he might run off, do something silly…"

She placed her hands over her face and shook her head again, her auburn curls bouncing from the action.

"He's going to hate that I didn't tell him. Of course I'd know something like that, my parents were best friends with his. Dad, Sirius and James were, like Flitwick said, inseparable. Sirius was at our house every holiday, and if he wasn't at our house he was at James'. He hated being in his house." She took a breath as Hermione placed a hand on her back and gave her a small nudge, the three of them beginning to walk back towards Hogwarts.

"My dad knew the Potters, knew they were in trouble, and he knew of the Fidelius Charm. He guessed they'd used Sirius, it was the most obvious choice. He did think it was a bit too obvious, but he trusted Sirius more than anyone just like the Potters did. Never would he believe Sirius would betray them." She muttered. "Sirius was the only Gryffindor in a long line of Slytherins, apparently it was his little brother that was the Death Eater." She confessed. "Sirius hated all that stuff almost as much as James, it was such a shock for dad when he learnt Sirius had betrayed his friends." She closed her eyes. "Dad didn't really believe it for a while…

"And then there was the fact that Sirius Black is Harry's Godfather, like that's how much he was trusted by them…" Skylar shook her head.

"You knew all that?" Ron muttered. "You should have told him."

"I know, I tried, there were several moments, I mean… but I just couldn't…" Skylar shook her head again. "I tried to convince my dad, I told him Harry would find out anyway, I asked him to tell Harry, but I just… something so terrible…"

"How do you tell someone that…?" Hermione mumbled.

They were silent for the rest of the walk to the castle. They arrived with plenty of time to head up to the Gryffindor tower, deposit their purchases and cloaks into the common rooms and then head for dinner.

Harry was already there.

Skylar said nothing as she sat down, while Ron and Hermione watched him nervously. None of them said anything, as Percy was sitting too close by them. They ate dinner in silence. When they went upstairs to the crowded common room, it was to find Fred and George had set off half a dozen Dungbombs in a fit of end-of-term high spirits.

Harry went straight for the dormitories. Skylar watched him before she sat herself down in one of the armchairs.

"Sky…" Hermione muttered. She placed a hand on Skylar's shoulder but the girl shook it off before heading straight for the dormitory. Nothing anyone could say could make it better, she'd decided not to say anything, she could have opened her mouth any time of the term, but she didn't. She had no one but herself to blame.

She moved to her trunk and dug around before grabbing a piece of parchment. She dug into her bag for her ink bottle and quill before sitting herself on her bed. She drew her curtains around her, she didn't want Hermione asking if she was all right, questioning why she'd kept her mouth shut.

Skylar took her quill, loaded if with ink, and put the tip to the parchment.

_Dear dad, _

_Harry learnt the truth today. He found out about Sirius Black being his godfather, and about Sirius Black being the Potters' secret keeper, about him betraying the location to You-Know-Who. We over heard the Minister talking with Hagrid, McGonagall and Flitwick. _

_I told you he'd find out. _

_We haven't spoken about it since, he hasn't said anything to me, hasn't asked me questions or shouted. _

_I just thought you should be aware. _

_Your daughter, _

_Skylar. _

Skylar blew on the ink, getting it to dry faster. No one had come into the dormitory so she climbed off her bed and changed into her pyjamas. She folded up the letter, ready to be sent in the morning before she climbed under blankets.

She was a terrible friend. What kind of person would keep something like this from another?

Skylar didn't sleep very well that night. Her pattern was broken, continuously woken up when Meridiem moved or when Crookshanks joined her on the bed. She gave up on sleeping when everyone got up, began packing, all of them ready to head to the station to go home for the holidays.

Lavender and Parvati wished her a Merry Christmas and she managed to return it before she got dressed. Hermione was already gone from the room, likely having breakfast.

Skylar didn't feel very hungry.

She grabbed her letter from her bedside table and moved down the stairs to the common room. Nick and Leon were there, possibly having been waiting for her.

"There you are." Nick grinned. "So, Harry get to Hogsmeade?" he asked, dropping his voice.

Skylar didn't answer she had a frown on her face still.

"Sky, what's wrong?" Leon mumbled, looking unsure at his sister's demeanour.

"Can you give this to dad?" she asked handing Nick her letter. Nick's forehead furrowed as he took it.

"Sky—"

"Harry found out." She said and she looked at the two. "In Hogsmeade, yesterday. He knows what Black really did." She confessed and Nick and Leon looked surprised, sharing a glance.

"Have a nice Christmas." She mumbled before she walked past them both and to the portrait hole.

"Poor Sky." Leon muttered.

"I suppose Harry's really mad with her for not saying anything."

"Too bad she can't decide to come home…" Leon thought

"I don't know if that would be better, running off. It's best they talk it out." Nick shrugged. "We can tell dad when we see him though, he'll need to know to keep a closer eye on Harry."

Leon nodded before they grabbed their bags and followed their sister, along with the flow of students, to the entrance hall and down the front steps.

Skylar sat herself down for breakfast by herself, despite having no desire to eat, she didn't want to be in the common room where everyone was grinning in excitement for the holidays.

Neither Ron or Hermione were at the table, which was mostly empty, and neither was Harry. She guessed Ron might still be asleep, and if Hermione wasn't here she would have been at the Library, what with all the subjects she was taking. As for Harry, he might just avoid her for a while. She wouldn't blame him.

Skylar pulled some porridge towards her, but just stared into it. She knew she should eat something, she didn't eat much at dinner last night. Skylar picked up her spoon and put some of the porridge in her mouth, it tasted as good as always.

"Morning Sky," Skylar looked up to see Stephen standing beside her, he looked slightly worried. "Are you all right? You don't look well."

"Oh, didn't sleep well." She confessed. She cleared her throat, trying to make herself look more lively, despite how lousy she felt. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be going home?"

"I'm staying for the holidays." He confessed. "Can I join you?"

The last thing Skylar wanted was to act cheerful and socialise with someone… but she didn't have the heart to really say no either.

"Sure." She agreed. Stephen sat down beside her and pulled some eggs and bacon forwards.

"Feels weird to sit at a different table." He confessed.

"I've felt the same." Skylar nodded.

"Which table?"

"Slytherin, last year."

"A Gryffindor sat at the Slytherin table?" Stephen rose an eyebrow. "Wow, you're brave."

She smiled slightly. "I had to talk to Daphne." She shrugged. "Besides, Slytherins aren't scary, they're just a bit… prideful." She went with.

"Sure…" Stephen said, dragging the word out doubtfully.

Skylar rolled her eyes at him. "I grew up with most of them, so I don't find it that surprising."

"How many of those parties did you have to go to?" he asked smirking, "They were practically every month."

"Not that often." She rolled her eyes.

"Bad enough." He muttered.

"Did you also have to go?" She wondered.

"Well, my parents went to a few but, they didn't force me to go as well."

"Mine always did." Skylar sighed, "Especially to the Malfoys'."

"Explains why you're not intimidated by them."

"Don't see a reason to be anyway," she admitted.

"So why aren't you going home for Christmas?" Stephen wondered.

"I haven't been home for Christmas since our first year." She shrugged.

"Why not?"

"Harry doesn't have anywhere to go back to, so Hermione, Ron and I have decided to stay to keep him company." She admitted.

"That's nice of you. I've heard that Potter's family aren't nice."

"Understatement." She nodded. She yawned, covering her moth before putting some more porridge into her mouth.

"You really are looking at bit pale…" he muttered.

"If I go and see Madam Pomfrey, will you leave me be about it?" she sighed.

"Maybe." He shrugged.

Skylar sighed but she got up from her seat and Stephen followed her as she moved from the Great Hall. They walked to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey moved towards them. Skylar knew she didn't need to go to this extreme, but she didn't have the energy to argue either.

"Apparently, I'm not looking well." Skylar sighed to the Matron. She looked the girl over, turning her chin a few ways.

"Yes, lack of sleep and too stressed out it seems." Madam Pomfrey sighed. She moved away and to one of the tables in the room. Skylar sighed, of course she could have said that was her issue. She was freaking out over Sirius Black and now Harry hating her forever, not to mention her bad nights sleep.

Madam Pomfrey came back over to them with a goblet in her hand. "Here you are."

Skylar frowned at the potion, it looked like the Pepperup potion that her mum gave her when she had a cold. She asked if this was right. "It is, I'm impressed."

"I thought that was for colds?" Skylar admitted.

"It can be used for tiredness as well." Madam Pomfrey assured. Skylar sighed, one of the side affects of this potion was smoke coming from your ears… She tipped the potion down her throat regardless. The drowsiness vanished and a lightness washed over her, but she knew it was only temporary. Her guilt and disappointment in herself was still there.

"Thanks." She said before she handed back the goblet. Stephen smiled at her as she turned for the door.

"Feel better?"

"Lighter yes, maybe not better." She waved her hands at her ears as they smoked.

"How come?"

"I uh…" Skylar took a breath. "I kept something important from a friend of mine, and they found out." She confessed.

"Why didn't you tell them?" Stephen wondered calmly as they walked down the corridor.

"It wasn't anything good, it was heartbreaking. I couldn't bring myself to confess such news, so instead I just kept my mouth shut. I thought of opening up many times, but, I was also advised not to. I didn't know what to do…" she sighed. "They found out the truth though, and now I wont be surprised if they didn't talk to me."

"Sounds like a hard situation." Stephen mumbled, "How'd you find out?"

"Initially, my gift." Skylar nodded. "My dad explained more when I questioned him of it." She turned to him and shrugged. "Unfortunately a gift such as mine has its drawbacks, you know things that you really wish you didn't." Skylar admitted.

"Well…" Stephen paused, thinking and Skylar turned to him. "I think, if they're really your friend, they'll talk to you about it, and I don't think they'd hate you."

"You don't think there's a limit of things you should keep quiet?"

"I think friends are always capable of working things out. And considering you're a legilimens, I think it might be a little easier for you."

"Knowing what a person thinks is not always helpful, or did you miss me just saying that?" Skylar asked. She came to a stop and turned to Stephen.

"I think it depends on your relationship with the person." He shrugged, "But if it was me, I wouldn't let you go."

Skylar felt her cheeks heat up and she found herself smiling. "Thanks Stephen." She said. She took a breath. "I'm going to give it a shot." She nodded and he smiled.

"Atta girl."

"I'll see you later." She said, waving as she turned and headed towards the Gryffindor common room.

She hurried towards the portrait hole, giving the password before it swung open.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35:

Voices sounded from within the common room and Skylar recognised them instantly as Ron and Hermione's. She walked in and stopped. Hermione was sitting at three tables, her homework distributed over all of them, while Ron was sitting in an arm chair. Crookshanks was spread out in front of the fire like a large, ginger rug while Harry was slumped into a chair next to the fire and the cat. Snow was falling beyond the window now as Skylar froze to a halt.

Now that she was here, she didn't know what to say. As it turned out, Hermione and Ron were already talking to Harry, who wasn't sitting quietly.

"—if you'd heard your mum screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her —"

"There's nothing you can do!" said Hermione, looking stricken. "The dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and — and serve him right!"

"You heard what Fudge said. Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are. It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others."

"So what are you saying?" said Ron, looking very tense. "You want to — to kill Black or something?"

"Don't be silly," said Hermione in a panicky voice. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"

Harry didn't answer and Skylar had dropped her gaze. She wanted to leave again. She stood on the spot, not speaking or moving. Ron and Harry at least hadn't noticed her, but Hermione turned and noticed the girl. She frowned slightly at her.

"Malfoy knows," Harry said abruptly. "Remember what he said to me in Potions? 'If it was me, I'd hunt him down myself… I'd want revenge.' "

"You're going to take Malfoy's advice instead of ours?" said Ron furiously. "Listen… you know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black had finished with him? Dad told me — the Order of Merlin, First Class, and Pettigrew's finger in a box. That was the biggest bit of him they could find. Black's a madman, Harry, and he's dangerous —"

"Malfoy's dad must have told him," said Harry, ignoring Ron. "He was right in Voldemort's inner circle —"

"_Say You-Know-Who, will you_?" interjected Ron angrily.

"— so obviously, the Malfoys knew Black was working for Voldemort —"

"— and Malfoy'd love to see you blown into about a million pieces, like Pettigrew! Get a grip. Malfoy's just hoping you'll get yourself killed before he has to play you at Quidditch."

"Harry, _please,_" said Hermione, her eyes now shining with tears, "_please _be sensible. Black did a terrible, terrible thing, but d-don't put yourself in danger, it's what Black wants… Oh, Harry, you'd be playing right into Black's hands if you went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want you to get hurt, would they? They'd never want you to go looking for Black!"

"I'll never know what they'd have wanted, because thanks to Black, I've never spoken to them," said Harry shortly

There was a silence in which Crookshanks stretched luxuriously, flexing his claws. Ron's pocket quivered.

Skylar took a breath. "They wouldn't want you to waste their sacrifice." Skylar muttered and the three turned to her.

Harry stared at her and she frowned as he got to his feet.

"You knew didn't you." He said, it wasn't a question.

Skylar took another breath and put her hands into her pockets. "Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know how to, and I was worried you'd act this way." She said, "I didn't want to upset you, or cause you to run off and chase after Black. Everyone advised me not to tell you for that reason." She said.

"Everyone?" Harry demanded.

"Mr. Weasley told you not to go looking for Black, my dad worried you would, so did my mum, Nick agreed with them, Remus said to keep my mouth shut… Fudge don't want you to know, though more because he thought you'd be scared…"

"They all knew!?" Harry demanded.

"Your parents were friends with mine Harry, of course they knew." Skylar said, managing to keep her voice steady as Harry's rose with his temper. "You're acting exactly as everyone thought you would if you found out, like you want to run off and do something terrible, like that will solve everything." She frowned at him.

Harry turned away from her. So lots of people around him had known and yet no one said anything. One of his best friends had known, and didn't tell him.

Skylar frowned and sighed, turning to look at the window.

"Look," said Ron, obviously casting around for a change of subject, "it's the holidays! It's nearly Christmas! Let's — let's go down and see Hagrid. We haven't visited him for ages!"

"No!" said Hermione quickly. "Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron —"

"Yeah, let's go," said Harry, "and I can ask him how come he never mentioned Black when he told me all about my parents!"

Further discussion of Sirius Black plainly wasn't what Ron had had in mind.

"Or we could have a game of chess," he said hastily, "or Gobstones. Percy left a set —"

"No, let's visit Hagrid," said Harry firmly.

Hermione and Ron looked at Skylar but she simply took a step back. She wasn't in the position to be arguing.

So they got their cloaks from their dormitories and set off through the portrait hole ("Stand and fight, you yellow-bellied mongrels!"), down through the empty castle and out through the oak front doors.

They made their way slowly down the lawn, making a shallow trench in the glittering, powdery snow, their socks and the hems of their cloaks soaked and freezing. The Forbidden Forest looked as though it had been enchanted, each tree smattered with silver, and Hagrid's cabin looked like an iced cake.

Ron knocked, but there was no answer.

"He's not out, is he?" said Hermione, who was shivering under her cloak.

Ron had his ear to the door.

"There's a weird noise," he said. "Listen — is that Fang?"

Skylar, Harry and Hermione put their ears to the door too. From inside the cabin came a series of low, throbbing moans.

"That's Hagrid." Skylar said and the three turned to her, she closed her eyes and her forehead furrowed in concentration. "Oh no…" she frowned.

"What?" Ron asked but Harry it seemed was impatient, he rose his fist and banged it on the door.

"Hagrid!" called Harry, thumping the door. "Hagrid, are you in there?"

There was a sound of heavy footsteps, then the door creaked open. Hagrid stood there with his eyes red and swollen, tears splashing down the front of his leather vest.

"Yeh've heard?" he bellowed, and he flung himself onto Harry's neck.

Hagrid being at least twice the size of a normal man, this was no laughing matter. Harry, about to collapse under Hagrid's weight, was rescued by Ron and Hermione, who each seized Hagrid under an arm and heaved him back into the cabin. Hagrid allowed himself to be steered into a chair and slumped over the table, sobbing uncontrollably, his face glazed with tears that dripped down into his tangled beard. Skylar followed them in, closing the door behind them as they all looked at the large man in shock.

"Hagrid, what _is _it?" said Hermione, aghast.

Harry spotted an official-looking letter lying open on the table. "What's this, Hagrid?"

Hagrid's sobs redoubled, but he shoved the letter toward Harry, who picked it up and read aloud:

_Dear Mr. Hagrid,_

_Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident._

"Well, that's okay then, Hagrid!" said Ron, clapping Hagrid on the shoulder. But Hagrid continued to sob, and waved one of his gigantic hands, inviting Harry to read on.

_However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated. _

_Yours in fellowship…_

There followed a list of the school governors.

"Oh," said Ron.

Skylar gapped and took the paper from Harry. She read down the list but her father's name wasn't here. "Dad didn't sign it." She muttered, "Can they do that, without every signature?" her forehead furrowed in confusion.

"But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off—"

"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" choked Hagrid, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "They've got it in fer interestin' creatures!"

A sudden sound from the corner of Hagrid's cabin made Skylar, Harry, Ron, and Hermione whip around. Buckbeak the hippogriff was lying in the corner, chomping on something that was oozing blood all over the floor.

"I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" choked Hagrid. "All on his own! At Christmas."

Skylar, Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another. They had never seen eye to eye with Hagrid about what he called "interesting creatures" and other people called "terrifying monsters." On the other hand, there didn't seem to be any particular harm in Buckbeak. In fact, by Hagrid's usual standards, he was positively cute.

"You'll have to put up a good strong defence, Hagrid," said Hermione, sitting down and laying a hand on Hagrid's massive forearm. "I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe."

"Won't make no diff'rence!" sobbed Hagrid. "Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! An' if I lose the case, Buckbeak —"

Hagrid drew his finger swiftly across his throat, then gave a great wail and lurched forward, his face in his arms.

"What about Dumbledore, Hagrid?" said Harry.

"He's done more'n enough fer me already," groaned Hagrid. "Got enough on his plate what with keepin' them dementors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' around —"

Ron and Hermione looked quickly at Harry, as though expecting him to start berating Hagrid for not telling him the truth about Black. Skylar turned to him and Harry glanced at her fleetingly, he couldn't bring himself to do it, not now that he saw Hagrid so miserable and scared.

"Listen, Hagrid," he said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, you just need a good defence. You can call us as witnesses —"

"I'm sure I've read about a case of hippogriff-baiting," said Hermione thoughtfully, "where the hippogriff got off. I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened."

"We'll all help you with the case Hagrid, they cannot hurt Buckbeak if they're greeted with facts." Skylar assured.

Hagrid howled still more loudly. Harry and Hermione looked at Ron to help them.

"Er — shall I make a cup of tea?" said Ron.

Harry stared at him.

"It's what my mum does whenever someone's upset," Ron muttered, shrugging.

At last, after many more assurances of help, with a steaming mug of tea in front of him, Hagrid blew his nose on a handkerchief the size of a tablecloth and said, "Yer right. I can' afford to go ter pieces. Gotta pull meself together…"

Fang the boarhound came timidly out from under the table and laid his head on Hagrid's knee.

"I've not bin meself lately," said Hagrid, stroking Fang with one hand and mopping his face with the other. "Worried abou' Buckbeak, an' no one likin' me classes —"

"We do like them!" lied Hermione at once.

Skylar sighed and shook her head, Ron kicked her under the table and she shot him an annoyed look.

"Yeah, they're great!" said Ron, shooting Skylar a look as he crossed his fingers under the table. "Er — how are the flobberworms?"

"Dead," said Hagrid gloomily. "Too much lettuce."

"Oh no!" said Ron, his lip twitching.

"An' them dementors make me feel ruddy terrible an' all," said Hagrid, with a sudden shudder. "Gotta walk past 'em ev'ry time I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks. 'S like bein' back in Azkaban —"

He fell silent, gulping his tea. Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione watched him breathlessly. They had never heard Hagrid talk about his brief spell in Azkaban before. After a pause, Hermione said timidly, "Is it awful in there, Hagrid?"

"Yeh've no idea," said Hagrid quietly. "Never bin anywhere like it. Thought I was goin' mad. Kep' goin' over horrible stuff in me mind… the day I got expelled from Hogwarts… day me dad died… day I had ter let Norbert go…"

His eyes filled with tears. Norbert was the baby dragon Hagrid had once won in a game of cards.

"Yeh can' really remember who yeh are after a while. An' yeh can' see the point o' livin' at all. I used ter hope I'd jus' die in me sleep… When they let me out, it was like bein' born again, ev'rythin' came floodin' back, it was the bes' feelin' in the world. Mind, the dementors weren't keen on lettin' me go."

"But you were innocent!" said Hermione.

Hagrid snorted.

"Think that matters to them? They don' care. Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not."

Hagrid went quiet for a moment, staring into his tea. Then he said quietly, "Thought o' jus' letting Buckbeak go… tryin' ter make him fly away… but how d'yeh explain ter a hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'? An' — an' I'm scared o' breakin' the law…" He looked up at them, tears leaking down his face again. "I don' ever want ter go back ter Azkaban."


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36:

The trip to Hagrid's, though far from fun, had nevertheless had the effect Ron and Hermione had hoped. Though Harry had by no means forgotten about Black, he couldn't brood constantly on revenge if he wanted to help Hagrid win his case against the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. He, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione went to the library the next day and returned to the empty common room laden with books that might help prepare a defence for Buckbeak. The four of them sat in front of the roaring fire, slowly turning the pages of dusty volumes about famous cases of marauding beasts, speaking occasionally when they ran across something relevant.

"Can't you send your dad an owl, Skylar?"

"I can but the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures isn't really in my dad's wheel house." She sighed. "I don't know if he'd be able to remove their fear of Lucius either. The governors must have reached this decision while my dad was busy with his department. He doesn't have much time at the moment." Skylar was careful not to mention Black's name unless it set Harry off again.

"Here's something… there was a case in 1722… but the hippogriff was convicted — ugh, look what they did to it, that's disgusting —"

"This might help, look — a manticore savaged someone in 1296, and they let the manticore off — oh — no, that was only because everyone was too scared to go near it…"

Meanwhile, in the rest of the castle, the usual magnificent Christmas decorations had been put up, despite the fact that hardly any of the students remained to enjoy them. Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe were strung along the corridors, mysterious lights shone from inside every suit of armour, and the Great Hall was filled with its usual twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden stars. A powerful and delicious smell of cooking pervaded the corridors, and by Christmas Eve, it had grown so strong that even Scabbers poked his nose out of the shelter of Ron's pocket to sniff hopefully at the air.

Skylar was awoken Christmas morning to Hermione shaking her awake.

"Sky, Sky wake up!" She was grinning as Skylar moaned. She waved a hand and battered Hermione's hand away. "Skylar!"

"What?" Skylar turned over and opened her eyes annoyed. The room was bright, the sun shining on snow outside the window and Hermione giggled at her.

"Merry Christmas!" Hermione grinned.

Skylar blinked before she sat up. There was a pile of presents at her feet and she smiled.

"Merry Christmas Hermione." She felt something snuggle beside her and looked down to see Meridiem at her side. "Merry Christmas, Meridiem." Crookshanks jumped up onto her bed and gave her a look. He was looking very grumpy and had tinsel around his neck. Skylar laughed.

"Hermione, what did you do to your cat?" She asked.

"He's joining in on the spirit." Hermione shrugged and Skylar rolled her eyes.

"I suppose you want some attention to, do you? Or freedom from the tinsel." She asked the ginger and she scratched his ear as Hermione sat down to open her gifts.

There was one parcel Skylar noticed rather well and she reached to open it, finding a hand made sweater from Mrs. Weasley. As usual it was sky blue in colour and she smiled before pulling it on over her pyjamas. She always loved Mrs. Weasley's jumpers. Along with the jumper was homemade mince pies and some fudge with nut brittle. Her mother had sent her a bottle with a potion inside. It had a card around the neck and she read over it, she smirked at its contents before putting it on her bedside table carefully. It was signed from both her parents. Nick had gotten her some of the Peppermint toads which she chuckled at, Leon had bought her a new book and she looked surprised as it was on animagus'. How had Leon known she'd been looking at animagus'? Hermione had bought her a lunascope.

"Wow!" A Lunascope helped to chart the phases and position of the moon.

"Well, seeing as you are close friends with a werewolf." She grumbled. Skylar rolled her eyes.

"And here I thought you bought it to help me out with my Astronomy." Skylar said.

Harry's present was last, last year he'd bought her a dreamcatcher, a muggle item that was said to catch bad dreams. This year it seemed he'd kept on the muggle theme, for he'd gotten her a device she'd never come across before.

"What's this?" She questioned and Hermione looked up.

"Oh! That's a polaroid camera!"

"Huh?" Skylar muttered.

"You take a photo and it prints it instantly, but it wont move unless you put it in a special potion." Hermione explained, "Who gave you that?"

"Harry did."

"That's rather lucky, there aren't many wizards that sell muggle things, since Harry doesn't have any muggle money." Hermione smiled.

"He seems to be keeping to the muggle theme." Skylar smiled.

"He'll run out of things eventually." Hermione chuckled. "Come on, let's go see them." Hermione picked Crookshanks up from Skylar's bed and moved for the door.

"Hermione, don't take Crookshanks!" Skylar snapped as she hurried out of her bed herself, grabbing the funny contraption Hermione had called a camera as she did, hurrying after the girl. "You know how Ron will react!" She warned.

Hermione didn't listen, simply moved to the boys dormitories.

"Hang on, show me how to work this thing, I want to use it when we walk in." Skylar said, holding the camera up.

Hermione showed her how to hold the camera and which button to press, she opened up a section with a bit of pressure to check there was photo paper in it before handing it to Skylar and opening the door.

Hermione opened it, laughter coming from inside and Skylar rose the camera in interest. Skylar snapped the photo before turning to it, there was a moment before it printed a bit of the photo paper.

"What're you two laughing about?" Hermione asked as Skylar frowned. The so-called photo in her hands was blank.

"Hermione, this is blank." She said.

"You need to keep it dark for a bit, put it in your pocket and look again in a few minutes." Hermione said, the two boys turning to them as they spoke.

Harry noticed the camera in Skylar's hands while Ron was focused on Crookshanks.

"Don't bring him in here!" said Ron, hurriedly snatching Scabbers from the depths of his bed and stowing him in his pyjama pocket.

Hermione and Skylar had looked at him but were taken by surprise with what was in Harry's hands.

"Oh my god." Skylar exclaimed as Hermione dropped Crookshanks onto Seamus' bed.

In Harry's hands was a broomstick, but not just any broomstick, it was a Firebolt, just like the one that had been in Quidditch Quality Supplies in Diagon Alley at the beginning of the year.

Skylar stared at it open mouthed.

"Oh, _Harry_! Who sent you _that_?" Hermione questioned.

"No idea," said Harry. "There wasn't a card or anything with it."

"Really… you mean kind of like the invisibility cloak?" Skylar wondered.

"Sorta, only this time there really was nothing." Harry admitted.

Skylar looked unsure. Hermione did not appear either excited or intrigued by the news. On the contrary, her face fell, and she bit her lip.

"What's the matter with you?" said Ron.

"I don't know," said Hermione slowly, "but it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean, this is supposed to be quite a good broom, isn't it?"

Ron sighed exasperatedly. "It's the best broom there is, Hermione," he said.

"So it must've been really expensive…"

"Probably cost more than all the Slytherins' brooms put together," said Ron happily.

"Well… who'd send Harry something as expensive as that, and not even tell him they'd sent it?" said Hermione.

Skylar glanced at Hermione. It was strange… but it must've been someone who'd been at the game against Hufflepuff. No student would have spent that much money on Harry… and she doubted the teachers would have done either. No one else had been at the game to know… she had told her parents about it but they'd have signed a note.

The only other person that had been there… Skylar paled. Had been the black dog… Sirius Black wouldn't have bought Harry a super expensive broom though, what a strange thing to do… unless he wanted to hurt Harry…?

"Who cares?" said Ron impatiently. "Listen, Harry, can I have a go on it? Can I?"

"I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" said Hermione shrilly.

Harry and Ron looked at her.

"What d'you think Harry's going to do with it — sweep the floor?" said Ron.

Skylar frowned, she agreed with Hermione, what if the broom was a trap…?

But before Hermione could answer, Crookshanks sprang from Seamus's bed, right at Ron's chest.

"GET — HIM — OUT — OF — HERE!" Ron bellowed as Crookshanks's claws ripped his pyjamas and Scabbers attempted a wild escape over his shoulder. Ron seized Scabbers by the tail and aimed a misjudged kick at Crookshanks that hit the trunk at the end of Harry's bed, knocking it over and causing Ron to hop up and down, howling with pain.

Crookshanks's fur suddenly stood on end. A shrill, tinny whistling was filling the room. The Pocket Sneakoscope had become dislodged from Harry's ugly, old socks and was whirling and gleaming on the floor.

"I forgot about that!" Harry said, bending down and picking up the Sneakoscope. "I never wear those socks if I can help it…"

The Sneakoscope whirled and whistled in his palm. Crookshanks was hissing and spitting at it.

"You'd better take that cat out of here, Hermione," said Ron furiously, sitting on Harry's bed nursing his toe. "Can't you shut that thing up?" he added to Harry as Hermione strode out of the room, Crookshanks's yellow eyes still fixed maliciously on Ron.

"Are you all right Ron?" Skylar asked.

"Fine." He barked annoyed. "Why'd you let her bring him in here?"

"I told her not to." Skylar confessed, "She's Hermione Ron, she's stubborn." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the photo she'd taken and turned it over.

"Woah…" she muttered. It had Ron and Harry in the picture, Harry holding his brand new broomstick while Ron was gazing at it in excitement. She handed the picture to Harry.

"You like it then?" He asked.

"Thank you." She nodded. Harry looked at her before turning his gaze back away, he still hadn't quite forgiven her, nor had they spoken about it. Skylar dropped her gaze before she nodded.

"Right." She mumbled before she turned for the doorway and left the dormitory, closing the door behind her to stop Crookshanks from being able to get back in again.

Skylar sighed. She had to talk to Harry, she felt like there was this wall between them now, things were weird and awkward, and she had no one to blame but herself, but it needed fixing. She didn't like this gap that had formed. One thing was, she didn't want to do it in front of Ron and Hermione, mostly because she didn't want to make them uncomfortable, or have them butting in.

Not that she had any idea what she would say…

Skylar buried herself in her new book from Leon after they'd gotten dressed. It was quiet between them, Harry wasn't talking to Skylar, Hermione was furious with Ron for trying to kick her cat, who was locked in the girls dormitory, and Ron was still fuming about Crookshanks' fresh attempt to eat Scabbers, and so was ignoring Hermione. Harry made a few attempts at getting them to talk to one another while Skylar remained silent, before he gave up and decided to give his attention to his new Firebolt. He was examining it closely while Hermione shot dark looks at it. She, like Skylar, feared it had been sent by Sirius Black…

At lunchtime they went down to the Great Hall, to find that the House tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set for fourteen, stood in the middle of the room. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing a very old and rather mouldy-looking tailcoat. There were only four other students, two extremely nervous-looking first years, Stephen Cornfoot, and a sullen-faced Slytherin fifth year.

"Merry Christmas!" said Dumbledore as Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione approached the table. "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the House tables… Sit down, sit down!"

Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione sat down side by side at the end of the table, Skylar moving to sit beside Stephen.

"You're literally by yourself?" She asked him.

"Really easy to keep up on homework, it's so quiet." He shrugged. "How you doing?"

"Not letting myself miss out on the Christmas spirit." She admitted, glancing at Harry. Stephen noticed her look.

"He's who you upset?" Stephen whispered to her.

"Yeah." She whispered as she reached for her drink.

"Crackers!" said Dumbledore enthusiastically, offering the end of a large silver noisemaker to Snape, who took it reluctantly and tugged. With a bang like a gunshot, the cracker flew apart to reveal a large, pointed witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture. Skylar smirked and hid her smile as she remembered the boggart with the vulture on top. She turned to see Harry and Ron share a grin also as Snape's mouth thinned and he pushed the hat towards Dumbledore, who swapped it for his wizard's hat at once.

"Dig in!" He advised the table, beaming around.

Skylar reached for the turkey, topping it with cranberry sauce and was reaching for some vegetables as the doors of the Great Hall opened again. Skylar thought she was seeing a giant glittery bug. The woman was very thin; with large glasses that magnified her eyes to several times their natural size. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.

"Who's that?" Skylar whispered confused.

"That's Trelawney." Hermione muttered from her other side.

Skylar blinked in surprise, this was the Divination teacher?

Professor Trelawney glided toward them as though on wheels. She had on a green sequinned dress in honour of the occasion, making her look ever like a glittering, oversized dragonfly.

"Sibyll, this is a pleasant surprise!" said Dumbledore, standing up.

"I have been crystal gazing, Headmaster," said Professor Trelawney in a misty, most faraway voice, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness…"

"Certainly, certainly," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Let me draw you up a chair —"

And he did indeed draw a chair in midair with his wand, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professors Snape and McGonagall. Professor Trelawney looked at the table, Skylar knew she was counting those sitting at the table, before she moved to take her seat.

Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen.

"Tripe, Sibyll?"

Professor Trelawney ignored her. She was looking around once more and said, "But where is dear Professor Lupin?"

"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," said Dumbledore, indicating that everybody should start serving themselves. "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day."

"But surely you already knew that, Sibyll?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyebrows raised.

Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a very cold look.

"Certainly I knew, Minerva," she said quietly. "But one does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."

"That explains a great deal," said Professor McGonagall tartly.

Professor Trelawney's voice suddenly became a good deal less misty.

"If you must know, Minerva, I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us for very long. He seems aware, himself, that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him —"

"Imagine that," said Professor McGonagall dryly.

"I doubt," said Dumbledore, in a cheerful but slightly raised voice, which put an end to Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney's conversation, "that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the potion for him again?"

"Yes, Headmaster," said Snape.

"Good," said Dumbledore. "Then he should be up and about in no time… Derek, have you had any of these chipolatas? They're excellent."

The first-year boy went furiously red on being addressed directly by Dumbledore, and took the platter of sausages with trembling hands.

"Headmaster," Skylar pipped up and caught everyone's attention. "Is he sick _sick_?" She asked cautiously. "Too sick to say, maybe be taken a bit of Christmas Cake later…?" She wondered hopefully.

"I would suggest leaving it for another day." Dumbledore nodded. Skylar sighed and nodded, resigned. She thought it was sad that he had to be by himself on Christmas Day. Perhaps she'd slide a letter under his office door, just so he knew she was thinking of him and wishing him well.

Christmas dinner lasted two hours, and by the end of it, all of them had party hats on their heads from the crackers, Skylar's was a jester's hat, bells hanging off each tip and ringing every time she turned her head.

Harry and Ron were first to get up from the table, full of food and still wearing their party hats.

"Coming?" Harry said to Hermione. Skylar dropped her gaze, he glanced at her but addressed Hermione mostly. Stephen's forehead furrowed he looked at Skylar, nudging her slightly. She looked at him before shaking her head.

"No," Hermione muttered, "I want a quick word with Professor McGonagall."

Skylar glanced at the girl as the boys turned from the table.

"Probably trying to see if she can take any more classes," she heard Ron yawn as they made their way into the entrance hall.

Hermione looked at Skylar who was looking at her unsurely. It wasn't hard to figure out what Hermione was up to, her mind was an open book.

"Are you sure about this?" She asked.

Hermione looked at Professor McGonagall and Skylar pursed her lips.

"What's wrong?" Stephen asked Skylar.

Skylar glanced around the table before she nodded her head. The two of them got up from the table, wishing everyone a Happy Christmas before moving out into the Entrance Hall, and climbing the Marble Staircase.

"Harry got a mysterious present for Christmas."

"What was it?"

"A Firebolt." She admitted.

Stephen looked surprised. "The broom?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"From who?"

"No one knows." She shrugged. "There wasn't a note."

"So Hermione…"

"Hermione's worried it's… jinxed or dangerous." Skylar said.

"She's gonna dob it in?" Stephen asked looking surprised.

Skylar shrugged. "She's Hermione… even if she knows Ron and Harry will be really annoyed if the broom's taken, she'll still do the right thing." Skylar admitted.

"I've heard she's really bright, but seeing her in Ancient Runes… I'm surprised she's not in Ravenclaw." Stephen admitted.

"I think the hat considered her for Ravenclaw." Skylar admitted thinking.

"What about you?"

"Oh, I was a straight Gryffindor." Skylar shrugged, "What with a brother, two parents and a few relatives, but I could have gone anywhere… though I think Slytherin was the least likely."

"You think or you hope?" Stephen wondered.

"Both." She shrugged as they came to a stop two corridors before them. "Anyway, my common room is that way." She pointed.

"And mines that way." He pointed down the other corridor. "Have you finished the Ancient Runes homework?" He asked.

Skylar scoffed.

"Well then, Library, shall we do it together?" He offered.

Skylar found herself smiling. "Sure, but, you have to help me with something too."

"Sure." He nodded.

"Cool, see you later. Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas." He nodded before turning and walking down the corridor. Skylar watched him for a minute before she moved off as well.

Skylar found she really liked spending time with Stephen, and it had turned out he was easy to talk to… a little too easy she might think. But seeing as Harry was upset at her, and until they'd cleared the air that made things awkward, she was glad to find an escape, away from all the madness.

Skylar reached the seventh corridor and stopped as Professor McGonagall was climbing through the portrait hole as she approached it. The Professor was carrying Harry's Firebolt.

"Professor," Skylar said and McGonagall nodded to her before continuing.

"Pass — hic — word?" It seemed Sir Cadogan had had a it too much wine. He was having a party with a couple of monks, several previous headmasters of Hogwarts, and his fat pony.

"Scurvy Cur." She said

"And the same to you!" He cheered before his painting swung forwards.

Ron's voice reached her and she walked in to find him glaring at Hermione as she moved aside a book she'd had, upside-down, in front of her face, she was rather pink.

"_What did you go running to McGonagall for_?"

Hermione stood up and faced Ron defiantly.

"Because I thought — and Professor McGonagall agrees with me — that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"

Hermione turned for her dormitory.

"I cannot believe her!" Ron snapped angrily. He noticed Skylar. "You knew about this?" He demanded.

"That Hermione was going to tattle? What you didn't?" She asked, "You saw how she looked at the broom, you didn't put two and two together?"

"Why didn't you stop her!?" Ron demanded.

"Have you met Hermione?" Skylar demanded.

"You could have warned us?"

"And what would that have done? You going to hide it?"

Ron looked at Skylar furiously and she glanced at Harry. He was standing with a tin of High-Finish Polish from his broom servicing kit clutched in his hand, and looking as if he had no idea what had happened, staring at the Portrait Hole. Skylar wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't actually seen her come in.

The girl sighed and resigned herself to move to the dormitory, away from Ron's furious look. She hadn't even done anything this time…


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37:

Harry understood Hermione's intentions, but he was still very angry with her, just like he was with Skylar. Ron on the other hand was down right furious with the muggle-born girl. As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand-new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" Hermione asked Skylar, as they sat in the empty library.

"Well, I definitely think it was suspicious, and probably good that the broom's getting checked over. It'll be awful if there is something wrong with it…" Skylar said.

"Do you think Black could have sent it?"

"Yes." Skylar said without hesitation.

"So it could be dangerous." Hermione nodded.

Skylar didn't have an answer for that. She thought it was really strange, Black had been, in his animagus form according to Harry, at the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, she had a feeling he'd have seen Harry fall off his broom due to the Dementors. If Harry survived that, and he had survived Quirrel bewitching the broom in their first year, what good would it do to send Harry a bewitched broom? A bottle of poisoned butterbeer sounded like a better plan.

There was also the fact that Black had come to the match at all… why? Harry was on the team, everyone knew that, and in the air, what could he accomplish to get to the boy so far away?

Because of the disagreements between the two boys and two girls, Skylar and Hermione spent most of their holiday in the library, away from the common room, leaving it for the boys to have to themselves.

Skylar thought Hermione preferred it that way at this moment, she had so much homework even for holidays.

"How do you keep up with so much work?" Skylar wondered, glancing around to make sure no one else was in the library. "Do you use the timeturner to help you with study time too?"

"God no! It's for classes only." Hermione said strongly.

"This is class work." Skylar reminded her. "They can't expect you to use a timeturner to attend all classes and not use it to keep up with the work load." She thought.

"That would be taking advantage."

"It's not like you're trying to change the past, or the future." Skylar shrugged. She was trying to do her transfiguration essay. It didn't matter how much she liked the subject, she still hated doing the essays. "I'm just saying," she continued as she flicked through the pages of the transfiguration book. "If you're stressed now, how on earth are you going to survive in our final term?"

"I'm sure I'll be able to manage." Hermione said.

"You haven't met yourself have you?" Skylar muttered and Hermione shot her a look. "I think you should let me worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak also," as the girls hadn't forgotten about Hagrid's looming hearing. "I doubt you have time for that." Skylar closed her transfiguration book.

"No, you finish that first." Hermione ordered.

Skylar groaned and hit her forehead to the book. "I'd rather research hippogriffs on trial." She grumbled.

"It's just an essay." Hermione mumbled.

"You can say that." Skylar said. "You're Hermione Granger, brightest student in our year." Hermione blushed slightly.

"Ah, just the girl I was hoping to find here." The two girls turned as Stephen walked towards their table, his bag over his shoulder.

"Who, me, or Hermione?" Skylar wondered.

Stephen sucked in a breath through his teeth. "Honestly, both." He said.

Hermione and Skylar shared a look, Skylar's forehead furrowing. Hermione looked confused also, but there was a quirk in the corner of her mouth as she looked at Skylar, the auburn-haired girl's eyes narrowing at the look.

"The three of us are doing ancient Runes, but Hermione and I are doing Arithmancy and there's just something I can't quite wrap my head around." He confessed. "Came calling for a friend?"

Hermione looked at Skylar, an eyebrow raised in question and Skylar returned it unsurely. She shrugged, she didn't mind if Hermione helped him, why was she even asking?

"Sure." Hermione grabbed a few books to make room for the boy, who sat at the end of the table between the girls.

"Hm, not feeling confident on you being my study buddy if you're calling a friend." Skylar said as he pulled out his books and parchment.

"Be grateful you're not doing Arithmancy then." Stephen muttered.

"Hard?"

"Hardest subject there is." Stephen admitted.

"It's my favourite." Hermione grinned.

"Why do it?" Skylar wondered, asking Stephen.

"Why are you doing Ancient Runes?"

"It sounded interesting." Skylar shrugged.

"Dido." Stephen responded. Skylar rolled her eyes and Hermione smirked at them both. Skylar noticed and shot her a look, earning a shrug in return.

"So, what's confusing you exactly?" Hermione asked the boy.

"Great, you guys do that, I'm going to look up hippogriffs." Skylar grinned. Stephen looked confused as Skylar got up from her seat and moved through the shelves.

"Hippogriffs?" He asked Hermione.

"Long story…" Hermione smiled.

Hermione and Skylar were joined by Stephen in the library over the rest of the holidays, Skylar had all her homework done before New Years even begun, having so little amount. Stephen was done before her, being a Ravenclaw, but then helped Hermione through her extra work. Both of them listened to Skylar as she read through hippogriff facts, agreeing or disagreeing they'd be helpful. Hermione had explained the situation to the boy.

The rest of the school returned after the beginning of the New Year, the common rooms all filled up and the library became the home for all fifth, sixth and seventh graders. The beginning of term approached quicker than Skylar would have liked.

"We can't avoid them forever." Skylar sighed as they sat in the dormitory. The other occupants of the dormitory were still saying hello to everyone.

"You want to apologise?" Hermione asked.

"We both should, I kept some important information from Harry that I shouldn't have, and whether you meant well or not, you did take away Harry's new prized possession." Skylar admitted. She sighed. "I just, don't like not being able to talk to them, I mean Ron's my oldest friend and…" she dropped her head.

"You miss talking to Harry." Hermione sighed. Skylar rose an eyebrow. "Honestly Sky, I think you get along with each of us better than we get along with each other."

"It might have something to do with knowing how you each think." Skylar shrugged with a smile.

"Look Sky, you get Harry in a way Ron and I don't, and I know you miss that connection. Thanks to you Harry doesn't bottle everything away."

"I think you're giving me a bit too much credit." Skylar sighed. "Though I do want to talk to Harry, without Ron around, but that seems unlikely. It's been a week and I already miss them." She slumped, her chin leaning on her knees. "What's worse is I haven't been able to see Remus." She frowned.

"It was the wrong time." Hermione sighed.

"So ironic." She frowned.

Skylar wanted to talk to Harry, Ron wasn't mad at her, but she knew him, and his anger at Hermione, would likely come out at her in one way or another. Especially as the two girls had been spending time together.

Everyone returned to classes at the beginning of January. The last thing anyone felt like doing was spending two hours on the grounds on a raw January morning, but Hagrid had provided a bonfire full of salamanders for their enjoyment, and they spent an unusually good lesson collecting dry wood and leaves to keep the fire blazing while the flame-loving lizards scampered up and down the crumbling, white-hot logs.

Skylar had another lesson with Professor Dumbledore on her Occlumency lessons. She sat down at his desk and he smiled at her.

"You're Occlumency is highly improving this year, I have to admit, I did not believe that getting control would boost your skills." Dumbledore smiled at her.

Skylar returned it. Of course her Occlumency had suddenly increased, she was having lessons that involved the Headmaster of Hogwarts entering her head, where there was way too much information being hidden. She knew things that Dumbledore couldn't know, and this was the only way to keep them secret. Her ability of control was also improving because of her fears of the Headmaster learning what she knew, all of what she knew.

Skylar spent most of the day looking forward to Defence Against the Dark Arts. She needed to talk to Remus, she had to tell him, about Harry finding out about Sirius Black, about the Firebolt… She needed to really unload.

Despite the fact that Harry and Ron were not on talking terms with Hermione and Skylar, the classes were not awkward like she thought they'd be. Hermione and Skylar worked together, Hermione doing better at ignoring the boys than Skylar was.

When Defence Against the Dark Arts ended Skylar wanted to talk to Remus. As it turned out, Harry wanted to talk to him as well.

Remus had promised Harry Anti-Dementor lessons and Harry stuck back as the class left to remind Remus about them.

"Ah yes," said Remus, "Let me see… how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The History of Magic classroom should be large enough… I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this… We can't bring a real dementor into the castle to practice on…"

Skylar stood waiting and Remus looked at her, smiling. Harry turned to her as well before he turned and left the room.

Remus rose an eyebrow as Skylar dropped her head and then looked at the man.

"Everything all right?" He asked her.

"Lots happened while you were… sick." She whispered. "Do you have time to talk about it?"

"I suppose I can spare a moment." He nodded. He waved his wand and a chair appeared for Skylar to sit in.

Skylar looked down, now she was here, she didn't know where to start. She had to tell about Harry finding out the truth, that was why there was an awkward air between the two. But Harry found out by getting to Hogsmeade, which he did through the map that Remus helped make, and was confiscated.

"Sky?" Remus questioned.

"It's a long story…" she mumbled, "But… Harry found out." She confessed.

Remus looked at her surprised. "About…?"

"About Sirius Black betraying his parents, ending in their death, and even about Sirius Black being his Godfather." She sighed.

Remus nodded, and was silent for a moment.

"He's not really talking to me because he knows I knew, but didn't tell him." She whispered.

"He's your friend Skylar, he'll come around." Remus assured.

"I don't know, there's a lot of disagreement going through us all at the moment." Skylar confessed. "The boys are mad at Hermione because she was worried for their safety." She admitted. "At Christmas, Harry got an unnamed present, it was a Firebolt." She said.

"The broom?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "At the beginning of the year, Harry saw a black dog, he then saw a book on omens and the grim is a black dog, he doesn't believe it's a death omen but… He saw the dog again at the game against Hufflepuff, before he fell off his broom."

Remus stared at her, concern over his expression before he took a breath.

"He was at the game! In the stands!" She kept her voice low, glancing at the classroom door. "And I'm freaked out by that and confused, why the hell would he be in the stands? He can't get Harry there, what, did he just come to watch? Why?"

Remus took a breath. "I can't count for his actions, not anymore."

"There's just so many things I don't understand, and everything's so complicated… Remus, I don't know what to do." She took a breath unsurely. "The only good thing that's happened is my Occlumency has completely boosted in skill to keep Dumbledore from finding anything out." She mumbled.

"Skylar, I know this is hard for you, and you were right about Harry being able to find the truth out."

"Not that anyone bothered to listen to me." She mumbled. Remus smiled slightly and nodded.

"Did you tell your father?"

"I sent him a letter with my brother's. I haven't heard anything back… they didn't say much." She mumbled.

"Your father's been swamped at the Ministry, what with Black showing up here at the school." Remus sighed.

"I feel locked in a corner, with him not here. I don't know what to do with all I know. Black knows all of the secret passageways there are into the school and that's how he got in on Halloween. He's an animagus and he is hiding around here, watching Quidditch games…" she shook her head.

Remus got up and he moved around, kneeling before the girl.

"Skylar, I know this is hard for you, and I know, despite the fact that you love your gift, this makes you hate it, even if you don't tell anyone else that. I also know that the sadness of having Harry mad at you is adding to your guilt of not telling, Dumbledore at least, about everything." He said.

"Isn't it for you?" Skylar whispered, "He let you go to school here and teach here, and you broke his rules, your friends became animagus' and you, or my father, or my mother, haven't told about any of that." Skylar admitted. "And now it's risking Harry."

"We don't know that Black's ability to change, is what allowed him to leave Azkaban." Remus said.

"We both know that's exactly how." Skylar said, her forehead furrowing. "You can't lie to me Remus, even if you have been practicing Occlumency." She muttered.

Remus sighed and lowered his head. He didn't nod, he didn't argue, but Skylar knew she'd hit a raw subject, because Remus did feel guilty, and he knew she was right.

Skylar rolled her lips before she stood up and moved for the door. She glanced back at the man as he stood to his feet before she left the room. Talking about the issue, hadn't made anything better after all.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38:

"He didn't give you any advice?" Hermione asked.

"You mean besides the fact that as my friend he should forgive me?" Skylar asked sighing. They were sitting at a table in the common room after dinner, Skylar was researching for Hagrid's case for Hippogriffs, having finished Snape's essay on Undetectable potions with Hermione's guidance. The two girls had been going to visit Hagrid as often as they could to help him out with his case for Buckbeak.

Hermione sighed. She had extensive amounts of work around her, several tables spread with books, Arithmancy charts, rune dictionaries, diagrams of Muggles lifting heavy objects, and file upon file of extensive notes as she tried to keep on top of her workload, it seemed like it was beginning to pile up. Hermione had a bad habit of snapping at people when they interrupted her. The only one who she took pity on was Skylar, as with Harry not happy with her, she couldn't sit with them. Luckily for Hermione, Skylar was a legilimens and could easily tell when Hermione was available to be interrupted.

"Hermione, are you going to be all right, that looks like a lot…" Skylar mumbled, looking over her load.

"I can manage."

"I don't know if you can…" Skylar said. "It's only been two days of term and already your load is increasing."

"I just need to work harder."

"I don't know if that's the solution." Skylar sighed, but she knew there was no point trying to convince the bushy-haired girl. She was stressing out already, and Skylar had seen that the Time-turner was taking its toll as well.

Skylar looked around the common room and to Ron and Harry by the fireplace. Harry was to have his first lesson with Remus on Thursday, Skylar was ultimately curious as to what was going to be learnt, she loved learning new things.

"I'm just going to go to the library." Skylar said to Hermione. The girl only nodded, not looking up, as Skylar got up from her spot and walked towards the door. She glanced at Harry, catching his eye as he saw her go, before she dropped her gaze with a frown.

What was she to do? She didn't deserve to be forgiven.

"Sky, wait!" The girl stopped in the corridor and turned around in surprise. Harry was hurrying down the corridor towards her.

"Harry…" She looked at him surprised.

Harry stopped before her, taking a breath and then paused. He opened his mouth to speak but it occurred to him he didn't know what to say.

Skylar frowned. It wasn't him who needed to say anything, she was the one at fault here. "I'm sorry." She said. "I had no right to keep from you the truth." She admitted.

Harry looked at her, he paused for a minute, after all, he trusted Sky, more than he trusted Ron, or even Hermione, she reacted and said what and how he needed, wanted. And yet, she hadn't done the same back, she hadn't trusted him, or confided in him, like he could with her. And worse, he hadn't even noticed she'd been keeping this all to herself all this time.

He mulled over his thoughts for a moment, unsure where to start in response. "You said people didn't tell me because they were worried I'd run off after him."

"Yeah well, if you're anything like your dad was, apparently he was headstrong and impulsive sometimes too." Skylar mumbled. "But another reason I didn't tell you, was because I didn't want to." She admitted. Harry looked confused. "I didn't want to tell you something so awful. I didn't want to be the one to tell you something so heartbreaking. I don't have any excuses for the secrets I've kept, and I don't expect you to forgive me." She admitted.

Harry was silent for a moment. He was mad at Skylar, regardless of her reasons, but there was also the part of him that hated that he couldn't talk to her anymore. And it annoyed him even more that she understood that and didn't try to argue about it.

Skylar didn't force him to talk to her, she didn't expect to be forgiven.

"I don't expect forgiveness, but at least don't go running off to find Black, he'll find you before you can find him." She muttered.

And that was what annoyed him, they had all been right. "As much as I want to blame you, I was planning on doing exactly what everyone feared I would." Harry admitted sourly. "I'm also annoyed I didn't notice you holding it in, after I found out, and I knew you knew, I realised the signs had been there, your secret talks with your parents, the way you said things, some looks on your faces, especially when Black was mentioned. But I didn't even acknowledge that."

Skylar's forehead furrowed in utter surprise. "You're… you're mad because…?"

"Because you wouldn't talk to me, or couldn't, yet you let me offload when I needed to." He said. "And for not telling me." He added obviously. He sighed, "And I'm sorry for that."

Skylar took a breath. "You technically did ask, in the Leaky Cauldron." She muttered. "And I couldn't bring myself to admit it to you. Nor could I bring myself to go against everyone else, who told me to keep my mouth shut." She frowned mumbling.

They were silent for a moment avoiding each other's gazes, before Harry sucked in a breath.

"For the best apparently. I want to find Black, and make him pay."

"How?" Skylar asked, already knowing the answer.

Harry didn't respond, because he didn't know how he was going to do it, and he knew, she knew that.

"I just can't believe someone caused the screams I hear whenever the dementors are near. My mother's screams… someone who was close to her." Harry muttered. He walked past the girl and she watched him before following as he looked at the ground. "After I found out about it all, I went to the photographs Hagrid collected for me, he was in there, in the wedding photo." He confessed, "He was completely different to the wanted photos, I never recognised the similarities until I was looking for them."

"Azkaban changes people." Skylar mumbled.

"But it didn't change him, he's not affected." Harry sneered.

Skylar took a breath. "I don't think that's entirely true." She said thinking. Of course Sirius had been able to escape due to being an animagus, how that helped she didn't know, but it was how he was hiding in the school grounds without the dementors getting him so…

Harry turned to her, a questioning look on his face and Skylar took a breath, trying to think how to explain her thoughts. "I don't know if he's unaffected, after all, he's hiding from them isn't he?" she offered, "Maybe he just has something in him he can hold onto?" Maybe being an animal allows him to hold onto his humanity? Wasn't that a little backwards.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Well, the dementors take away all your happy memories, Hagrid said you forget who you are through all your tragic memories. Black must have found something that wasn't happy to keep him, himself. Something the dementors couldn't take."

"What?" Harry asked.

"That I don't know." She mumbled. "But he was in Azkaban for twelve years, if he was unaffected for all that time, why did he only now escape? It's not like there's any more news of You-Know-Who or anything to give him determination."

Harry was quiet for a while as they walked through the corridors.

"Harry, I really am sorry for keeping quiet. The last thing I wanted was to hurt you." She confessed with a frown.

"Sky, can I ask you something?" Harry asked, stopping and turning to her. She nodded. "Promise you wont keep anything like that from me again."

Skylar looked at him before she dropped her gaze. Could she make that promise? She really wanted to be able to.

She thought about it carefully before speaking. "Harry I promise not to keep anything about your family from you again, no matter what anyone wants me to do." She said. She paused, awkwardly and worried, steeling to continue her honestly. "And, while we're on the subject, there's probably something else I should tell you… about the grim." She said. What was she doing keeping this a secret? Sirius Black was after Harry and he'd seen him more times than she could count, he needed to be careful, and for that, he needed to know what he was looking for. He had to look out.

"The grim?" He asked confused, what did that have to do with his family, or Sirius Black?

Skylar nodded. "I know why you keep seeing it." She confessed and Harry looked confused.

"Sky!" The two turned to see Stephen walking towards them, he had another guy with him, one Skylar was sure she recognised.

"Stephen." She said. He smiled as he walked towards them, glancing at Harry. His timing was terrible. Skylar ignored that and, with a slight shake of the head to remove the previous air, she glanced from Stephen to Harry. "Uh, Harry, have you met Stephen Cornfoot?"

"Not officially." Harry mumbled.

"He's in my Ancient Runes class, and has been helping me out."

Stephen smiled. "Hi." He said to Harry.

Harry didn't respond.

"Who's your friend?" Skylar asked, "I know I know your name." She said to him.

"Oliver Rivers." He responded, holding his hand out. Skylar took it, shaking it.

"You off to the library Skylar?" Stephen asked.

"Uh, I was actually." She admitted, glancing at Harry.

"I'll see you back in the common room Sky." He said before turning back. She watched him go. She frowned in disappointment, reaching out slightly towards him and opening her mouth to stop him. No, he couldn't leave, she had been on a role! She couldn't force words to work and in her frustration she closed her mouth and balled her fist annoyed. There went her chance! And she didn't even know if this had cleared the air between them!

Stephen watched Skylar as she watched Harry.

"Are you all right…?" He asked, noticing her distraught and annoyed expression.

She grit her teeth before she turned to Stephen, her expression become completely neutral. He looked a bit surprise for a moment at the cover she plastered on her face so quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine." She shrugged, "Are you two also heading to the library?"

"We were heading back actually." Oliver said.

"Well, don't let me stop you." Skylar smiled, giving a small wave, before she moved off past the two.

"Sky, wait," Stephen patted Oliver's arm before he hurried off after the girl. "Hey, are you sure you're all right?" Stephen asked as he followed her.

"I finally got to talk to Harry, apologise." She shrugged.

"And?"

"And we talked, I don't know if the kink's gone but." She said simply.

"Right…" he mumbled with a nod. "Would you like a hand in the Library?"

"It's not for homework."

"Needed a homework break?"

"It's frustrating watching Hermione what with all the work she has to do."

"How's she doing it? I've heard people say she's been in like two classes at the same time?" Stephen said, his forehead furrowed.

"No one can be at two places at once." Skylar said simply.

"So, she's not taking classes at the same time?"

"Well, her schedule has several classes scheduled at the same time." Skylar shrugged.

"How is that possible?"

"She talked to Professor McGonagall about it, they figured something out."

Stephen was eyeing Skylar. "You're telling me the legilimens doesn't know?" He rose an eyebrow doubtingly.

"Even if I did, Hermione hasn't told even us as her friends, it's clearly not something anyone's supposed to know about and so, whether I knew or not, I wouldn't divulge." She stated.

"I feel like you do know."

"Well, hold out and maybe you'll be able to figure it out yourself." Skylar offered.

"It kind of seems like you're still upset?"

"I'm not upset." She said simply. But she was, because Stephen had interrupted an important conversation with Harry, he'd broken her conversation and taken her chance to admit the biggest secret ever. Now she was going to have to brace herself to admit it all over again. And she knew she'd have to, Harry wasn't likely to forget this conversation.

And true he hadn't, he was still questioning how Skylar could know why he was seeing the Grim as he moved back to the common room. But there was another question he needed answered, something he hadn't realised until now.

"Hey Ron," the boy was still sitting by the fire in the common room as Harry approached him.

"What you run off for?" He asked annoyed.

"Do you know Stephen Cornfoot?" He asked Ron, ignoring the red-head's question and earning a confused look.

"Who?" Ron questioned.

"A Ravenclaw."

"No?" Ron muttered unsurely. "Why?"

"He seems to be friends with Skylar." Harry mumbled.

"With Skylar?" But Ron paused. "Oh… wait…" he muttered, a thoughtful look on his face. "I think I do know him. Well, not personally."

Harry rose an eyebrow with expectation.

"Yeah, when we came back from our first Hogsmeade trip, he helped her carry her bags. Hermione said he fancied Skylar."

Harry was silent for a moment. "Does that mean they're friends?"

"Dunno, I haven't seen them spending time together since… but then I haven't seen Skylar much." He grumbled annoyed, turning to give Hermione a glare.

"It wasn't her fault." Harry mumbled. Ron turned to look surprised.

"I thought you were mad because she held things from us, and didn't warn us Hermione was going to have the Firebolt confiscated and stripped down!"

"That wasn't Skylar's fault. She was right, what would we have done if we had been warned?" Harry asked.

"Well, what about her hiding what Sirius Black did?" Ron lowered his voice as he said it.

"I'm mad she didn't tell me." Harry nodded, "But would you have told me something like that?"

Ron huffed, he didn't have an answer.

"Hey, Harry, have you seen Sky?" Nick had appeared at the boys side.

"She just left, said she was going to the library." Harry admitted. "Why?"

"Dad responded to her last letter," he said, holding it up. "Mitchum brought it to me."

"What was her last letter about?" Harry wondered.

"Dad spent the whole of first term telling her to keep the truth from you, she told dad that you knew."

"What for?" Ron grumbled.

"She was worried that Harry would run off and wanted dad to be aware." He shrugged. Harry turned his face away, embarrassed, so everyone really was worried about that.

"And yet, despite all that, she instigated you and the twins giving Harry the means to run off." Ron said.

"Skylar just wanted to do something nice for Harry." Nick shrugged. "You've known her for how long Ron? You know she just wants to make her friends smile." Ron blushed at being caught out. "If you're going to condemn her for protecting those smiles, then you shouldn't be her friend in the first place." The boy scolded the two boys, surprising them, before Nick turned and left the common room to find his sister.

"Ouch." Ron muttered. "Talk about protective older brother."


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39:

January faded imperceptibly into February, with no change in the bitterly cold weather. Ravenclaw had played Slytherin at the beginning of the term and Slytherin had won narrowly. Because of this, Wood had the Gryffindor team training five nights a week.

This lessoned Skylar's opportunities to talk to Harry alone, as he was always off on the Quidditch pitch. Amongst all this, Hermione and Skylar had been making time for Hagrid, Skylar was a bit irritated with the two boys.

"Forgetting about Hagrid and his hearing for Buckbeak, just because of a bloody broom." She grumbled to Hermione as they trekked down to the wooden hut. "They said they were going to help."

Hermione said nothing, but she didn't need to, she was a bit disappointed in the boys, but then it gave the two girls something to do, even though Hermione had her work load cut out for her. Hagrid also agreed that she'd bitten off more than she could chew, but Hermione wouldn't hear of it.

As for Harry, he was still yet to have his broom back and the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match was drawing nearer. Harry had started his anti dementor lessons, and although she'd spoken to him since Harry found out the truth about Black's imprisonment, Skylar went to Remus to ask how he was going with the lessons. Things weren't perfect with them still…

"You two haven't worked it out?" Remus asked when she came to him after a lesson to ask how Harry's lesson were going.

"Uh… yes and no? Things aren't quite back to where they were but I did apologise and explain myself." She confessed. She didn't bother to tell him she'd almost told Harry about Sirius Black being an animagus as well, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher would likely blow his top at that. "I just want to give him the time he needs to process." She said.

"Well, Harry seems displeased with his progress, but he can create a shield and that should do for the most part during another Quidditch game."

Skylar nodded.

"You know if you're worried about him, you should just go tell him."

"From my perspective that shows lack of faith in his ability, like I didn't believe he could produce a patronus, and that would make things worse. Especially if he's already unsure on his own progress." She admitted.

Remus hummed. "Well, if he could get a broom that might help. I hear Professor Flitwick is still working on it."

"Harry has started bugging Professor McGonagall about it." Skylar nodded. And indeed he had, he'd been asking the Professor at the end of every Transfiguration lessons with Ron standing by hopefully. Hermione rushed out of the room with her face averted while Skylar waited for news and left when the same result was given.

"I can't say I blame him, if he's anything like James when he used to play,"

"Dad said James was a show off and boasted about his skills…?" Skylar confessed amused.

"Well, he was." Remus was unable to deny and the girl chuckled. "But he would have been just as eager as Harry to have such a broom back for a game."

She couldn't argue against that.

She paused for a minute and Remus looked at her in waiting before she decided to speak.

"When's Harry's next lesson?"

Remus smiled at her before he nodded, he understood as she stood there, a hopeful look on her expression, waiting to use the lessons to talk to Harry alone again.

And so, Skylar sat herself in the corridor outside the History of Magic classroom, waiting for Harry's anti-dementor lessons to end so she could see and talk to him. Her boredom getting the better of her she began to count cracks in the ceiling before the door finally opened. Harry looked at her surprised as she looked up at him.

"Sky?"

"Hey." She smiled, getting to her feet. "Can we talk?"

He glanced back into the room before he nodded and they moved down the corridors.

They were silent for a bit, as Skylar tried to figure out what she wanted, what she needed, to say.

"How are your lessons with Remus going?" She began.

Harry shrugged. "I can produce a shield."

Skylar smirked slightly. "You're disappointed."

Harry avoided her gaze. "I want it to run and charge down the dementors," he grumbled. "Professor Lupin said that my patronus isn't strong or full enough yet for that."

"You want a knight in shining armour to protect you?"

Harry shot her a look but she just smirked, chuckling slightly.

"Things take practice Harry, I mean, my legilimency I've had my whole life, but only recently with lessons and instruction have I really grasped all of its concepts. Your dementor lessons are no different."

"You have to be reasonable with me don't you."

"I just don't want you to be so disappointed in yourself, if there's one thing I've noticed its that you're rather good at learning defensive spells, like _Expelliarmus_ for example. You got that spell down in one try." She paused. "Oh, that might be why you expect to get the patronus charm so quickly."

"I'm not that arrogant." He muttered annoyed.

Skylar smiled. "Then you should not expect you to be so excellent at such a charm that even adults struggle with."

Harry's forehead creased at her rationality. She noticed the looked and took a breath.

"How crap that you cannot perform the charm already, that you cannot find a strong enough memory to create and form a shape. I thought with your brilliance you'd have had it down packed by now." She said, with too much emotion in her voice to show mockery.

Harry heaved a sigh, she was proving a point that that was the other option to her being reasonable. She rose an eyebrow at him, waiting for his preference.

"Fine, I prefer the reasonable."

She grinned. Her grin faded however as they continued. "And, speaking of reasonable, about what we were saying last time," she said and Harry glanced at her before they turned a corner. Neither were paying as much attention to where they were going as they should have been, and as a result, Harry walked headlong into Professor McGonagall halfway up the stairs.

"Do watch where you're going, Potter!"

"Sorry, Professor —"

"I've just been looking for you in the Gryffindor common room. Well, here it is, we've done everything we could think of, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it at all. You've got a very good friend somewhere, Potter…"

Skylar blinked in surprise while Harry's jaw dropped. She was holding out his Firebolt, and it looked as magnificent as when they last saw it at Christmas.

"I can have it back?" Harry said weakly. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," said Professor McGonagall, and she was actually smiling. The two shared a surprised look. "I daresay you'll need to get the feel of it before Saturday's match, won't you? And Potter — _do _try and win, won't you? Or we'll be out of the running for the eighth year in a row, as Professor Snape was kind enough to remind me only last night…"

And she handed it to him.

"Wow, that was lucky." Skylar said as Professor McGonagall walked away.

Speechless, Harry carried the Firebolt back upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower with Skylar in toe. She supposed it could wait, till at least Harry had been able to experience the magnificent and mysterious broom. It seemed very strange to her still, that someone would spend so much and send Harry such a broom…

As the two turned a corner, they saw Ron dashing toward Harry and his broom, grinning from ear to ear.

"She gave it to you? Excellent! Listen, can I still have a go on it? Tomorrow?"

Skylar lowered her gaze.

"Yeah… anything… ," said Harry. He paused and glanced at Skylar. "You should come to Sky."

She looked surprised. Ron looked at her and she glanced between them.

Ron sighed. "You are a good flier, you'd know how to test it." He confessed.

Skylar grinned and both looked surprised at the sudden expression, a lightness washing over her at the two of them wanting to hang out with her again. "I'll show you two how it's done."

Ron scoffed and Harry smiled.

"You know what — we should make up with Hermione… She was only trying to help…" Harry added.

"Yeah, all right," said Ron. "She's in the common room now — working, for a change —"

"Wow," Skylar whispered. Both boys looked at her questioningly. "You get mad cause a broom is taken away, and everything's fine when it comes back?"

"Well, it did come back."

"And if it hadn't she'd have saved Harry's life?" Skylar reminded him. "Not only that, you had a go at me for no reason." She added, crossing her arms.

Ron looked awkward and the two watched him. "Not for nothing, you were mean to Harry."

"So two wrongs make a right?"

"Don't be so reasonable." Ron grumbled.

Harry and Skylar shared a look before they smirked and started laughing. Ron looked at them both confused.

They turned into the corridor to Gryffindor Tower and saw Neville Longbottom, pleading with Sir Cadogan, who seemed to be refusing him entrance.

"I wrote them down!" Neville was saying tearfully. "But I must've dropped them somewhere!"

"A likely tale!" roared Sir Cadogan. Then, spotting Harry, Skylar and Ron: "Good even, my fine young yeomen, beautiful lady! Come clap this loon in irons. He is trying to force entry to the chambers within!"

"Oh, shut up," said Ron as the three drew level with Neville.

"I've lost the passwords!" Neville told them miserably. "I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them, and now I don't know what I've done with them!"

"You wrote down the passwords?" Skylar asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I couldn't remember them all!" Neville said.

"Well, I hope it wasn't a Slytherin that found them, who knows what they'd do to our common room." Skylar muttered and Harry and Ron shared a look of agreement.

"Oddsbodikins," said Harry to Sir Cadogan, who looked extremely disappointed and reluctantly swung forward to let them into the common room. There was a sudden, excited murmur as every head turned and the next moment, Harry was surrounded by people exclaiming over his Firebolt.

"Where'd you get it, Harry?"

"Will you let me have a go?"

"Have you ridden it yet, Harry?"

"Ravenclaw'll have no chance, they're all on Cleansweep Sevens!"

"Can I just _hold _it, Harry?"

It went on for ten minutes or so, during which the Firebolt was passed around and admired from every angle. Skylar ignored the commotion and moved over to Hermione, at her usual table filled with papers, homework and textbooks.

"Where've you been?" Hermione asked her, glancing to and then away from the two boys, surrounded by Gryffindors.

"I wanted to talk to Harry." Skylar said simply and Hermione looked up at her surprised. She was cut off however as when the crowd dispersed, Harry and Ron also approached her table and at last, she turned to them.

"I got it back," said Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.

"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" said Ron.

"Well — there _might _have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"

"Yeah, I suppose so," said Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs —"

"I'll take it!" said Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."

He took the Firebolt and, holding it as if it were made of glass, carried it away up the boys' staircase.

"He might be slightly obsessed." Skylar mumbled, glancing after him as Harry smirked.

"Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked Hermione.

"I suppose so," said Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair.

Harry looked around at the cluttered table, full of a long Arithmancy essay on which the ink was still glistening, and at the even longer Muggle Studies essay ("Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity") and with the rune translation Hermione was now poring over.

"How are you getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her.

"Oh, well — you know — working hard," said Hermione. Hermione was working so hard, she now didn't look much different to Remus, her eyes were dark and her skin pale.

"Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching her lifting books as she searched for her rune dictionary.

"I couldn't do that!" said Hermione, looking scandalised.

"Arithmancy looks terrible," said Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.

"I'll agree." Skylar mumbled.

"Oh no, it's wonderful!" said Hermione earnestly. "It's my favourite subject! It's —"

But exactly what was wonderful about Arithmancy, Hermione didn't say. At that precise moment, a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder — and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bedsheet.

"LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face.

None of them had any idea what he was going on about. Harry and Skylar shared a look before the auburn-haired girl looked at Ron unsurely.

"Ron, what — ?"

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"

Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered. Harry looked down at the sheet Ron was holding. There was something red on it. Something that looked horribly like —

"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N — no," said Hermione in a trembling voice.

Ron threw something down onto Hermione's rune translation. Skylar, Hermione and Harry leaned forward. Lying on top of the different runes were several long, ginger cat hairs.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40:

It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. Each was so angry with the other that it seemed they'd never make up. Skylar and Harry found themselves stuck in the middle with no idea what to do. Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks's attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn't bothered to keep a close enough watch on him, and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting that Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds. Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on Ron's head in the Magical Menagerie.

"Harry," Skylar whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Crookshanks did it?"

"Yeah."

Skylar nodded, just double checking she wasn't the only one to think so. But unlike her, who knew better than to voice this to Hermione, Harry pointed out this fact, that the evidence all pointed that way. She lost her temper with Harry too.

"Okay, side with Ron, I knew you would!" she said shrilly. "First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it! Skylar you think so too don't you!" She snapped, surprising the girl.

Skylar was lost for words for a moment before she composed herself. "Well, there is a chance there could have been a scuffle and Scabbers ran away." She shrugged. "Crookshanks has gone after Scabbers before, maybe the rat got scared of that fact and fled?"

Harry and Ron looked at her incredulously. Skylar hurried to try and mend the issue between them while she had their attention. "Scabbers is still gone though, no matter what the events were that led to such an outcome."

Unfortunately for Skylar, Ron was mad she was taking Hermione's side, and Hermione knew she didn't believe any of that.

"I'm just going to let them deal with it." She grumbled to Harry annoyed when they both shouted at her.

Ron had taken the loss of his rat very hard indeed.

"Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was," said Fred bracingly "And he's been off-colour for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly — one swallow — he probably didn't feel a thing."

"_Fred_!" said Ginny indignantly.

"All he did was eat and sleep, Ron, you said it yourself," said George.

"You did always say he was useless." Skylar agreed, but then, regardless, he had still been a pet.

"Oh, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat, what's the point of moaning?"

In a last-ditch attempt to cheer Ron up, Harry persuaded him to come along to the Gryffindor team's final practice before the Ravenclaw match, so that he could have a ride on the Firebolt after they'd finished. This did seem to take Ron's mind off Scabbers for a moment ("Great! Can I try and shoot a few goals on it?").

"Still coming Sky?"

"Sure, it'll get me away from Hermione, just watching her and the amount of work she has to do stresses me out." She confessed. So they set off for the Quidditch field together.

Madam Hooch, who was still overseeing Gryffindor practices to keep an eye on Harry, was just as impressed with the Firebolt as everyone else had been. She took it in her hands before takeoff and gave them the benefit of her professional opinion.

"Look at the balance on it! If the Nimbus series has a fault, it's a slight list to the tail end — you often find they develop a drag after a few years. They've updated the handle too, a bit slimmer than the Cleansweeps, reminds me of the old Silver Arrows — a pity they've stopped making them. I learned to fly on one, and a very fine old broom it was too…"

She continued in this vein for some time, until Wood said, "Er — Madam Hooch? Is it okay if Harry has the Firebolt back? We need to practice…"

"Oh — right — here you are, then, Potter," said Madam Hooch. "I'll sit over here with Weasley and Miss Rosenwald…"

She, Skylar and Ron left the field to sit in the stadium, and the Gryffindor team gathered around Wood for his final instructions for tomorrow's match.

"So, shall we take bets on how long it takes Leon to ask for a ride?" Skylar wondered to Ron.

"The game?" He offered.

"Ha." Skylar scoffed. "It'll be before that."

The team began to mount the brooms and they all kicked off into the air. Harry bolted upwards, higher and higher than the others. He sped across the stadium like a blur, and turned too sharply that Alicia Spinnet screamed. He then went into a perfectly controlled dive, brushing the grassy field with his toes before rising thirty, forty, fifty feet into the air again —

"Look at it!" Ron admired, his eyes on Harry beaming.

"Gosh you could match Leo's enthusiasm." Skylar chuckled.

"Harry, I'm letting the Snitch out!" Wood called.

Harry turned and raced a Bludger toward the goal posts; he out-stripped it easily, saw the Snitch dart out from behind Wood, and within ten-seconds had caught it tightly in his hand.

The team cheered madly. Harry let the Snitch go again, gave it a minute's head start, then tore after it, weaving in and out of the others; he spotted it lurking near Katie Bell's knee, looped her easily, and caught it again.

It was the best practice ever; the team, inspired by the presence of the Firebolt in their midst, performed their best moves faultlessly. Skylar stood up, leaving Madam Hooch who had fallen asleep, and moved over to the team on the grounds.

"That was rather brilliant." She grinned at them and Wood nodded in complete agreement.

"Good work, everyone. Let's get back to the tower… turn in early —"

"I'm staying out for a bit; Ron wants a go on the Firebolt," Harry told Wood.

"We wont take too long." Skylar assured and Wood nodded to her while the rest of the team headed off to the locker rooms.

Harry strode over to Ron, who vaulted the barrier to the stands and came to meet him. "Here you go," said Harry, handing Ron the Firebolt.

Ron, an expression of ecstasy on his face, mounted the broom and zoomed off into the gathering darkness.

"I don't suppose we have any more idea of who gave it to you." Skylar mumbled.

"Not one. You?"

"Well, I had agreed with Hermione about Black giving it to you, but I can't understand why he'd do that as a gesture of goodness if he's here to kill you."

"You still think he's in the grounds?" Harry asked, glancing around.

"He was during the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff game." She mumbled.

"How do you know?"

Skylar took a breath. "Because you saw him."

Harry's forehead furrowed in confusion. No he hadn't? No one had seen him yet, besides the Fat Lady?

Madam Hooch awake with a start and caught the two's attention. Ron landed down on the ground as she told the three of them off. She then insisted that they go back to the castle.

Harry shouldered the Firebolt and the three walked out of the shadowy stadium, the boys discussing the Firebolt's superbly smooth action, its phenomenal acceleration, and its pinpoint turning. They were halfway toward the castle when Harry, glancing to his left, and suddenly stopped dead.

Skylar and Ron stopped too, turning to him.

"What's the matter?" said Ron.

Harry pointed. The two turned but there was nothing that could be seen in the darkness. Ron pulled out his wand and muttered, "_Lumos_!" A beam of light fell across the grass, hit the bottom of a tree, and illuminated its branches; there, crouching among the budding leaves, was Crookshanks.

"What's he doing all the way out here?" Skylar mumbled confused. She knew Crookshanks was independent, but so was Meridium and she never went far from the common room, the warm fire was better than the outside.

"Get out of here!" Ron roared, and he stooped down and seized a stone lying on the grass, but before he could do anything else, Crookshanks had vanished with one swish of his long ginger tail.

"See?" Ron said furiously, chucking the stone down again. "She's still letting him wander about wherever he wants — probably washing down Scabbers with a couple of birds now…"

Harry didn't say anything. He took a deep breath and Skylar turned to him as he felt complete relief. She pursed her lips but didn't say anything, at least not in front of Ron.

She didn't get the chance before the match. Harry had already gone to breakfast with the rest of the common room in the morning, all of them with the Gryffindor Quidditch team, sitting at the Gryffindor table around the Firebolt, which had been given prime position on the table. People from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were moving over to look.

"I see he got his broom back." Skylar turned as Stephen came and joined her at the table.

"Yeah. McGonagall gave it back finally."

Cedric Diggory came over to congratulate Harry on having acquired such a superb replacement for his Nimbus, and Percy's Ravenclaw girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, asked if she could actually hold the Firebolt.

"Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!" said Percy heartily as she examined the Firebolt closely. "Penelope and I have got a bet on," he told the team. "Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!"

Penelope put the Firebolt down again, thanked Harry, and went back to her table.

"It is rather magnificent." Stephen said, "Have to admit I'm jealous."

At that moment Leon pushed through and began to probe Harry with questions, which Ron happily responded with.

"Not as much as my younger brother is."

"He looks so excited?"

"Trust me." Skylar assured.

"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" said a cold, drawling voice.

Draco Malfoy had arrived for a closer look, Crabbe and Goyle right behind him.

"Yeah, reckon so," said Harry casually.

"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" said Draco, eyes glittering maliciously. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute — in case you get too near a dementor."

Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.

"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy," said Harry. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you."

The Gryffindor team laughed loudly. Draco's pale eyes narrowed, and he stalked away. They watched him rejoin the rest of the Slytherin team, who put their heads together, no doubt asking Draco whether Harry's broom really was a Firebolt.

"Malfoy tends to talk to Potter quite often doesn't he?"

"The two of them are Archenemies." Skylar shrugged.

Stephen rose an eyebrow. "Their thirteen?"

"They're also boys." She added. He rolled his eyes as a response.

"So you supporting Ravenclaw today?"

"Obviously. But unless Harry is attacked by dementors again it seems very likely Gryffindor's going to win." He confessed, sighing in disappointment.

"Sounds like you're at a cross roads."

"Should be a good game regardless, we do have a good team."

"Didn't you get a new seeker?"

"Yeah, Cho, she's a year above us." He nodded.

"What's she like?"

"Smart. Elegant, her mum works for the Ministry. But I do have to admit she's given off the impression of being rather emotional."

Skylar rose an eyebrow. "How so?"

Stephen shrugged, he wasn't sure how to explain it but Skylar got the gist.

"She cries and gets irritated?"

"Though it doesn't seem to be clear as to why."

"Sounds like a female." Skylar mumbled.

At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off for the locker rooms. Their signal was a prompt for the rest of those in the Great Hall to hurry up, and Ron, Leon, and Nick joined Skylar and Stephen as they moved down to the pitch after the team. The weather couldn't have been more different from the match against Hufflepuff. It was a clear, cool day with a very light breeze; there would be no visibility problems this time.

Ron was looking at Stephen confused before he tugged Skylar's arm and leaned towards her.

"What's with the guy?"

Skylar rose an eyebrow, "What, I can't be friends with people other than you?"

He had no response but eyed Stephen unsurely. "He's supporting the other team."

"Well his team is playing." She responded obviously.

Stephen left them to sit with the Ravenclaws while the Gryffindors moved to the other side of the stadium. Not a few minutes later did Madam Hooch move out onto the field, followed by the Ravenclaw team and then the Gryffindor. Hermione suddenly hurried up beside Skylar and she looked at her surprised.

"Gosh I'm surprised you have time for this."

"I couldn't bring myself not to support Harry." She confessed and Skylar chuckled.

"Even with your work load, that's a good thing."

"Wood, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch said briskly, and Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw Captain.

"Mount your brooms… on my whistle… three — two — one —"

Harry kicked off into the air and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other broom; he soared around the stadium and began squinting around for the Snitch.

"They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that Harry Potter is flying for Gryffindor." Lee Jordan began. "According to _Which Broomstick, _the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship —"

"Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Right you are, Professor — just giving a bit of background information — the Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and —"

"Jordan!"

"Okay, okay, Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor heading for goal…"

Harry streaked past Katie in the opposite direction while Cho Chang was tailing him.

"What's she following him for?" Ron questioned.

"Well, if he sees the snitch first and she's not with him, she's got no chance, especially with the Firebolt. Suppose this way she has a chance." Skylar shrugged.

Leon scoffed. "She's got no chance." Ron agreed.

As it turned out, Cho had other plans rather than just keeping up, she kept cutting across him, forcing him to change direction.

"Show her your acceleration, Harry!" Fred yelled as he whooshed past in pursuit of a Bludger that was aiming for Alicia. Harry urged the Firebolt forward as they rounded the Ravenclaw goal posts and Cho fell behind. Katie succeeded in scoring the first goal of the match, and the Gryffindor end of the field went wild. A moment later, Harry dived; Cho saw what he was doing and tore after him — He was speeding up, and a glint of gold could be caught at the bottom of his dive, clearly his destination, before suddenly, a Bludger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere; Harry veered off course, avoiding it by an inch, and in those few, crucial seconds, the Snitch had vanished.

There was a great "Ooooooh" of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters, but much applause for their Beater from the Ravenclaw end. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it.

"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now, see it turn — Chang's Comet is just no match for it, the Firebolt's precision-balance is really noticeable in these long —"

"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"

The Rosenwalds and Ron were snickering at the teacher telling Jordan off.

Ravenclaw was pulling back; they had now scored three goals, which put Gryffindor only fifty points ahead — if Cho got the Snitch before him, Ravenclaw would win. Harry dropped lower, narrowly avoiding a Ravenclaw Chaser, scanning the field frantically.

Then he suddenly accelerated, eyes fixed ahead, but Cho shot forwards and blocked his way —

Skylar rose an eyebrow. "She can't beat him,"

"So she's stopping him other ways." Leon nodded in acknowledgement.

"HARRY, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN!" Wood roared as Harry has swerved to avoid a collision. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!"

Harry turned his Firebolt upward and was soon twenty feet above the game. Cho was still following him, rather than look for the Snitch. The Harry suddenly dived again. Cho instantly followed. Harry pulled out of the dive very sharply; she hurtled downward; he rose fast as a bullet once more. He accelerated towards the Ravenclaw end, and, so many feet below, Cho did the same. Harry was much faster though, until there was something else on the field.

Three dementors, three tall, black, hooded dementors, were looking up at him.

Harry suddenly reached into his robes and drew his wand. "_Expecto patronum_!" He roared.

Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of his wand. It shot at the three hooded figures which Skylar had risen eyebrow at, they don't really seem like dementors, for one, nothing had gone cold. Harry however continued after the snitch he'd seen.

He stretched out the hand still grasping his wand and just managed to close his fingers over the small, struggling Snitch.

Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. Harry turned around in midair and saw six scarlet blurs bearing down on him; next moment, the whole team was hugging him so hard he was nearly pulled off his broom. Down below, the Gryffindors in the crowd was roaring in delight, Ron and Leon being two of the loudest.

Skylar was watching the so-called dementors. They weren't dementors at all, but black long hooded robes. The silvery patronus Harry had sent at them had caused them to be quite surprised and fallen over, to reveal Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Team Captain.

The team managed to lower their brooms while all still gripping on to one another while Gryffindors were running onto the field. Ron had managed to get himself into the lead of the running Gryffindors while Hermione told Skylar she really needed to get back to work and moved for the castle.

Skylar made her way down after her house and watched as the crowd surrounded and engulfed Harry, while Professor McGonagall had moved over to the four Slytherins. That was rather more amusing than watching Harry be congratulated.

"Yes!" Ron yelled, yanking Harry's arm into the air. "Yes! Yes!"

"Well _done, _Harry!" said Percy, looking delighted. "Ten Galleons to me! Must find Penelope, excuse me —"

"Good for you, Harry!" roared Seamus Finnigan.

"Ruddy brilliant!" boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.

Stephen had moved over to Skylar, and both were watching the Slytherins being told off.

"What where they playing at?"

"They think Harry's afraid of Dementors, so why not scare him?" She shrugged.

Stephen nodded before he sighed. "By the way, congrats."

"You did say it was inevitable."

"Cho gave him a rather good run though."

"Well, if she wants to succeed to needs to change her tactics a bit more." Skylar advised, earning a laugh.

Remus had moved up behind Harry and then moved through the crowd to where Skylar was watching the four Slytherins struggling to remove themselves from the black robes, Draco it seemed had been standing on Goyle's shoulders.

"An unworthy trick!" Professor McGonagall was shouting, an expression of utmost fury on her face. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake!"

"Could today get better?" Skylar asked grinning at Harry. She then threw her arms around Harry's neck much to his surprise. Stephen glanced downwards. "Nice catch! You won! We're going to win the cup!" She cheered, releasing him and jumping up and down in excitement. Harry stared at her before he beamed.

"Ah, here he comes now!" The two looked up and Dumbledore was indeed moving forwards. Ron, who had fought his way through to Harry's side, doubled up with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe, Goyle's head still stuck inside it. He then turned to Stephen.

"Nice try."

"Ron!" Skylar scolded but Stephen only shrugged in admittance.

"Come on, Harry!" said George, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"

The rest of the team led the way, out of the stadium, away from the pitch, and back up to the castle, all still wearing their scarlet robes.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41:

It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup; the party went on all day and well into the night. Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets.

"How did you do that?" Squealed Angelina Johnson as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.

"Snuck off to Hogsmeade did we?" Skylar asked, an eyebrow raised.

"With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Saber, Padfoot, and Prongs," Fred muttered with a nod.

Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities. Hermione, incredibly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled _Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. _Fred and George meanwhile started to juggle butterbeer bottles for entertainment.

Ron hardly acknowledged her, it seemed even the game hadn't been enough to change Ron's mood and bury the hatchet with Hermione, he suddenly spoke up, while Harry was talking to Hermione, in a rather raised voice; "If Scabbers hadn't just been _eaten, _he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them —"

Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say or do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.

Skylar moved over to Ron and cleared her throat, he turned to her before she suddenly bashed his arm, hitting him. He cried out in both pain and surprise as she shot him a dirty look.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" She demanded.

Harry pulled Skylar back slightly incase she decided to hit him again, but it seemed he agreed.

"Can't you give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly.

"No," said Ron flatly. "If she just acted like she was sorry — but she'll never admit she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on vacation or something."

Well, he very well could have… Skylar thought, glancing at Harry, he looked at her and nodded, agreeing with the look on her face. He then furrowed his forehead and pulled her to the side.

"I want to talk to you by the way." He said.

"Sure," she said, trying to look interested and not worried, obviously he'd be interested as to how he saw Sirius Black at the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff game, when he hadn't. Unfortunately for Harry, people continued to come over and talk to him, asking about the Firebolt, the Snitch, congratulating him. Skylar leaned towards him in a moment of opportunity, whispering into his ear. "It can wait till later." He looked at her before he nodded when she gave him a promising look.

The Gryffindor party ended only when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing gown and hair net at one in the morning, to insist that they all go to bed. Everyone climbed the stairs for their dormitories, of which Hermione had already gone to sleep in the girls third year, her curtains drawn around her. Moonlight was streaming in through the window and the girls all pulled their curtains closed to block it out as they climbed into bed silently. Skylar felt like a good nights sleep was exactly what she needed right now and she seemed to fall into her mattress, happily. Her dreams were filled with silvery animals, flying quidditch players and slinking cats running through long grass. Her entire being almost felt like she was floating before she suddenly came crashing back down and sat bolt right up in her bed.

Something was wrong. Skylar pulled her curtains apart, but everything was quiet, with the moon still shining into the dormitory. She stood up, perhaps she just needed some water. She'd just brought the glass to her lips when there was an estranged shout from one of the other dormitories.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Skylar jumped a mile in the air and spilled water everywhere, while the other girls in her dormitory all woke up from it.

"What was that?"

"Was that someone shouting?"

Fay Dunbar lit the lamp by her bed as they all looked around.

There was the slam of a door as they all looked confused at their own, the girls all pulling their curtains open.

"What happened?"

"Someone screamed." Skylar said and she moved to the door, Lavender, Parvati, Fay and even Hermione all got out of bed, grabbing their dressing gowns, and followed her as they moved down the stairs and for the common room. They weren't the only ones who were awake, Harry, Ron, Dean, Seamus and Neville were all in the common room and more doors were opening, sleepy voices calling after the boys.

"Who shouted?"

"What're you doing?"

The common room was lit with the glow of the dying fire, still littered with the debris from the party. Apart from the five boys, it was deserted.

"Are you _sure _you weren't dreaming, Ron?"

"I'm telling you, I saw him!"

"What happened?" Skylar asked as she reached them, the boys all turned to her and the girls. Ron looked as white as a sheet, his mouth open agape in fright.

"What's all the noise?"

"Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed!" Her dorm mates reminded them.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" said Fred Weasley brightly.

"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pyjamas as he spoke.

"Perce — Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room went very still. Skylar felt her entire being go cold and her face drain of any colour. She reached out and for Harry who had turned to glance at her. He grabbed her arm in comfort, holding her upright as her legs seemed to shake, while Percy was staring at Ron, so was everyone else.

"Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. "You had too much to eat, Ron — had a nightmare —"

"I'm telling you —"

"Now, really, enough's enough!"

Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorise this, Professor!" said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare —"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Professor McGonagall stared at him.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw —"

Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath.

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan.

There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.

"You — you _did_?" said Professor McGonagall. "But — but the password!"

"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.

"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy-slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.

"He got in." Skylar whispered and Harry and Ron turned to her as she gripped at Harry's arm for comfort. "He got all the way into the dormitory…"

"It's alright Sky." Harry said.

She shook her head frantically. "No! It's not alright!" Harry glanced at Ron before he guided her to sit down. She had her hands over her cheeks and the boy had never seen her look more frightened.

Neville had written down the passwords, but he lost them earlier in the week, almost as instantly as it seemed he'd written them. But how did Sirius Black get a hold of them? Had Neville really left them lying around the castle where Black could get them anywhere?

She knew Black was using one of the passages to get into the castle, one of the secret ones, but which one could he even use? Honeydukes was out, there was no way he could get into the store, even as a dog, and no one could get past the Whomping Willow, could they?

He'd been in the dormitory, Harry could be dead right now!

Nothing Harry, or Hermione said to her could make it better. Ron however was surrounded by people, all asking what had happened and he looked quite happy to be in the spotlight for once.

"Sky," Harry said as he watched her. She turned to him, scared.

"Harry, there's something I _need_ to tell you!" She said strongly, desperately, and he looked confused, his forehead furrowing. She looked around, there were too many people around and he noticed this worry. He nodded to her.

"Later." He promised.

But it had to be as soon as she could. Skylar had to tell him, he had to know!

Unfortunately, the common room didn't empty. No one in the Gryffindor Tower slept that night, and they all knew that the castle was being searched again. The whole house stayed awake, in the common room, waiting to hear if Black had been caught this time.

Skylar knew he wouldn't be.

Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped.

Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognise a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on the condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.

Harry had noticed that the passage he'd used to get to Honeydukes was unguarded and he was worried that they should tell someone, seeing as only Skylar, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Nick knew of their existences. Ron convinced him he wasn't getting in through Honeydukes and when Harry asked Skylar about it she agreed.

"It's unlikely he's using that passage." She whispered. But then which one was he using?

Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail.

"I know he's the youngest son of six boys… but I didn't think he'd lap the attention up this much." Skylar mumbled to Hermione, having passed him telling more people at Breakfast before they moved on their way to see Hagrid, his hearing for Buckbeak was this Friday.

"He could have been killed!" Hermione had been worried for Ron since the incident.

"The whole dormitory could have been killed, even the whole house maybe if he still had a wand!" Prisoners of Azkaban had their wands taken and snapped upon being found guilty. Though Sirius Black had never had a trial. "Maybe that was why he ran…" It was strange to think that a mass murderer of twelve people, had run from a dormitory, or even a house, of underaged students, most who couldn't counteract a single curse.

Neville however had been on the complete opposite side of this stick though. He was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast — a Howler.

The school owls swooped into the Great Hall carrying the mail as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet envelope clutched in its beak. Skylar, Harry and Ron, who were sitting opposite him, recognised the letter as a Howler at once — Ron had got one from his mother the year before.

"Run for it, Neville," Ron advised.

He didn't need telling twice, Neville yanked away the letter from the owl and suddenly, holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall — Neville's grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family.

"Poor Neville." Skylar muttered.

"It was really bad luck for him wasn't it." Leon frowned, having been sitting beside her.

"I'll say." Skylar nodded in agreement. "I still can't figure out how, even if Neville did write down the passwords, how did Black even get the paper?" Skylar said, frowning at the boys. Hermione was studying, needing eating breaks now with her homework load.

Neither boy had any idea and they both shook their heads.

Skylar had another Legilimency lesson with the headmaster that morning, she was proceeding so well in her skills that the headmaster didn't believe she'd need many lessons next year. Nick had already stopped his lessons as well, leaving only Leon left to need them. He asked her about the incident with Sirius Black but she was alright, though worried he still wasn't caught, before they proceeded with the lesson.

It was at the end of it that Professor Dumbledore said something surprising.

"Your father is expected back this week."

"He is?" Skylar asked surprised, earning a nod.

"Its been confirmed that Sirius Black is hanging around the school, after his two attempts now into the Gryffindor common room, one of which he succeeded. Your father and a few of his aurors are being sent for extra protection, the Aurors however will be staying in Hogsmeade."

"Oh," she nodded. "I'm glad, it's very scary that he's getting past the dementors."

Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "How is Harry doing?"

"He's not trembling or running off in a frenzy." She shrugged. "Though having a mass murderer after you can't be great regardless."

The headmaster nodded before he dismissed her, wishing her luck on her classes and to be careful.

Skylar had heard from her father in response to her letter at Christmas, he'd basically told her they were working tirelessly to capture Black, to keep an eye on Harry, keep her head high and to be careful. It seemed no surprise he was coming back now that Sirius had been in the castle again, he'd left after the first sighting to go over his team about details, as well as spend Christmas having a breather, and now had to hurry back. It was ironic he'd missed Black's second infiltration though.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42:

Skylar moved for the library while Hermione was in the common room. Ron and Harry had gone to see Hagrid for the evening. Skylar needed an information book for her Ancient Runes essay. She was moving through the shelves when someone rounded the corner at the end and she had to step back to stop from smashing into them.

It was Draco.

He swelled at seeing her, his cheeks turning slightly pink even though he sneered at her.

"What are you doing here, Rosenwald?"

Skylar rose an eyebrow. "It's a library Draco, anyone can be here." She said simply. She walked around him and around the shelf to look along the next one for a book that would help her. The platinum-blonde-haired boy watched her and then followed.

"You haven't looked yourself lately, been by yourself or with Granger, been abandoned by your precious Potter have you?"

"Considering you have slaves instead of friends, I'm pretty sure the situation would be too complicated for you to understand." She responded, running her fingers over the spines of the books as she read their titles.

"Is this the one you're looking for?" The two looked up surprised as Theodore Nott stood before them with a book in his hand. Skylar looked down at it surprised, it wasn't the exact book, but she was sure it'd help none the less.

"Wow, thanks Theo." She smiled, taking it. Draco was staring at his fellow Slytherin shrewdly. Skylar had to admit, it was weird for Theodore to be in the Library, but as she thought that, the boy had turned and walked away. The two watched him go before Skylar shrugged and continued through the shelves. Draco, his eyes narrowed, turned from his classmate and continued after the girl.

"What's with you and him?" He asked.

Skylar turned to him, her forehead furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"You and Nott?"

"What about us?" Draco looked at her before Skylar's mouth turned up into a slight smile. "Are you jealous Draco?"

He scoffed. "Of what?"

"That someone else is lending me a hand, or gaining my time and attention?"

He scoffed again and turned to look after Theodore. Skylar was still smiling, slightly smug as she continued over the shelf. Draco watched her, following.

"What are you doing?"

"Need a runes book for homework." She mumbled. She turned back to him. "What are you doing?"

"Studying."

She hummed in response, she knew Lucius held high expectations and that included about Draco's grades.

"So what happened with you and Potter? Did you have a fight?" Draco's eyes were gleaming with excitement at the idea.

Skylar stopped and sighed. She turned to the pale-haired boy, her arms crossed. "We did have a fight, yes." She confessed.

"And here I thought you two were inseparable." Draco was grinning as he teased her, putting on a fake pout.

"Maybe we are, after all, we fixed the issue already." She shrugged and Draco looked annoyed. She smiled, "we're still friends."

Draco glanced away, from her.

"You know it's terrible that that upsets you, you shouldn't be happy that I lose a friend, how sad would that be." She confessed, disappointed in him. He glanced at her and Skylar understood. She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Listen to me, Draco, if Harry and I have a fight, and have a falling out, that does not mean I'm going to start hanging out and following you around." She returned, her hands on her hips. "I'm not a puppy, and I am not Pansy, Draco, I'm not going to run after you, no matter how determined you are to have me do so." His sneer returned and his cheeks turned slightly pink. "It's not nice to try and take advantage of other people's sadness. And you might as well give up on me leaving Harry for you, because he's my friend, and I'd never betray him for someone who is constantly hounding him just to try and make himself feel better. You shouldn't be so proud to take advantage of other's unhappiness." She frowned.

Draco stared at her, irritated before he turned and walked past her without another word. Skylar watched him go before she took a breath. He'd be a lot more interesting if he wasn't obsessed with Harry, obsessed with being better than him, and he wasn't such a bully.

The girl moved over the shelves before she found a book that would help her. Happy, she headed back to the common room. It was buzzing with excitement when she arrived and she paused, glancing around. Another Hogsmeade visit had been organised for the following weekend. She looked around and found Harry and Ron over near Hermione. Hermione's table was covered in books, so much so that she easily disappeared behind them.

"Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again… I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" said Hermione.

"What?!" Skylar demanded. They all looked at her as she joined them. Hermione nodded in approval for her response, but the boys thought she was annoyed at Hermione wanting to turn in the mastery that was her father's work.

"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.

"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to _you_! I mean it, I'll tell —"

"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!" said Ron furiously. "Haven't you done enough damage this year?"

Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories.

"I'm sorry, you're what?!" Skylar said turning to the boys.

"Come on Sky, don't be a downer." Ron said before he turned to Harry. "So how about it? Come on, last time we went you didn't see anything. You haven't even been inside Zonko's yet!"

Harry glanced at Skylar who had her mouth hanging open in shock at them both.

Harry avoided Skylar's eye as he looked around and her eyes widened too.

"Please, please, tell me you are not about to do such a silly thing!" She begged.

Harry sighed. "Sky, it's okay."

"It's not okay! He wants to kill you! He could have killed Ron! Don't you get that!"

"I'm not exactly any safer here, he got into the dormitory Sky."

Ron gave Skylar a 'that's right' kind of look as the girl bit her lip. She had no argument and she sighed.

"Exactly." Ron grinned and he looked at Harry who nodded.

"But I'm taking the Invisibility Cloak this time."

Skylar watched them both before she turned away, after all, what could she do, even the fact that Sirius Black was an animagus didn't change that fact. And she couldn't tell him off or warn him about being caught because that had never stopped them before.

Saturday morning Harry hadn't said anything more about sneaking to Hogsmeade, but Skylar knew he hadn't changed his mind. Hermione however, was unsure as to the boys' plans.

"He's not going to do it is he?" She demanded.

"Do you want the truthful answer?" Skylar mumbled.

Hermione continued to shoot suspicious looks at Harry as they ate their breakfast. She and Skylar moved for the entrance hall with everyone else while Ron said goodbye to Harry. He made his way back up the Marble Staircase most deliberately.

" 'Bye!" Harry called to Ron. "See you when you get back!"

Ron grinned and winked.

"You know," Skylar whispered, moving over to Ron, "He's not very convincing."

"I don't know what you mean?"

"If he wants to go to Hogsmeade he needs to use the passageway which leaves from the third floor, of course he needs to go up the stairs." She said.

Ron shot her an annoyed look before she shrugged and hurried back towards Hermione.

"Will you tell me?!" She demanded.

"So you can get Harry expelled, no." Skylar returned.

"Well I can't stay for long." Hermione said.

"No surprise. That's alright, I'll find something to do, I'd hate to take you too far away from your work." Skylar rolled her eyes.

"I can help there." The two girls jumped to find Stephen behind them. Hermione began to smirk, trying to hide the expression. Skylar shot her a look before turning back to Stephen.

"You know, people are going to think you have no other friends." She admitted.

"You guys are just more interesting." He shrugged. Hermione tried to hide her smile as Skylar nudged her.

"Well if you want to hang out with two girls, we wont stop you." She shrugged.

They moved down to Hogsmeade and into Honeydukes, getting some sweets before Stephen asked if they could go to Zonkos.

"I didn't see you for the trickster type." Skylar muttered.

"Can we go to the Three Broomsticks afterwards?" Hermione wondered, looking very careful about asking. "I'd like a butterbeer before I head back."

"Are you sure about doing all that work?" Stephen frowned.

"I can't exactly stop," she admitted.

They went to Zonkos and Stephen made several purchases before they headed for the Three Broomsticks, got some food and butterbeer, after which, Hermione departed with a wave.

"So, everyone obviously heard about the incident with Black, are you alright?" Stephen asked as they moved down the street.

"Wasn't my dormitory that he entered, but it's terrifying to think he can get in so easily."

"How is he even getting in? He can't get past the front door can he?"

"Doubtful…" Skylar mumbled. "But its a mystery how he escaped Azkaban as well so…"

"He must be a really powerful wizard! He can't even have a wand after all, yet he's doing all this." Stephen said.

"That almost sounds like admiration."

"Well no, he's a murderer, a criminal and all, but it is impressive to think about, he's just one man after all, right?"

"Right." Skylar nodded, frowning slightly.

"Sky!" The two stopped as they heard a distant shout and looked around.

"Did you hear that?" Stephen asked.

"Yes…" Skylar frowned confused.

"Skylar!" They both turned around and saw Ron running towards them from the Shrieking Shack. "Malfoy saw him! His head! Ran away! He needs help! Come on!"

Stephen and Skylar stared at Ron on complete confusion as the boy was panting. "Come on!" He grabbed Skylar's arm and yanked her away and up towards the castle.

"Wha— Bye!" She waved to Stephen who looked very confused before she turned back to Ron.

"What happened?"

"Malfoy came and Harry was messing with him, and the cloak slipped and Malfoy saw Harry's head!" He said looking pale.

Skylar groaned. "You idiots."

"We have to help him."

"How, we've been in Hogsmeade, where Harry's not meant to be."

"We went to Zonkos and Harry bought stuff!"

"I can't believe you two." Skylar snapped annoyed as they sprinted back towards the castle. "You two — really can't do anything — without me or — Hermione — can you!" She snapped, panting now.

"Shut up — just run."

"And you don't think — it's suspicious — us bursting in — right as — Harry's in trouble — and after Draco— saw him — with you?"

Ron didn't respond as they hurried past the intense cold of the dementors, past the gates and towards the front steps.

"Where — do we— find him—?"

"Snape." Skylar said and they hurried for the dungeons. They came to his door and Ron threw the door open instantly, clutching his side, he hurried right to Snape's desk and tried to speak through his pants. Snape and Harry weren't the only ones in the room however, Remus was there as well. There was a pile of Zonko's products in a bag on the desk, but also, there was the Marauder's Map. Skylar stopped and turned from it to Remus who had turned to her and Ron. He was eyeing her most harshly and she didn't proceed any further into the office than the doorway as she panted.

Ron however hurried out his words. "I — gave — Harry — that — stuff," he choked. "Bought — it… in Zonko's… ages — ago…"

"Well!" said Remus, clapping his hands together, changing his expression instantly, and looking around cheerfully. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?" He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. "Harry, Skylar, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay — excuse us, Severus —"

Harry avoided Snape's gaze, while Skylar bowed her head and avoided Remus' gaze, both of them moving with Ron back into the Entrance Hall, where he stopped.

"Professor, I —" Harry began.

But Remus was looking at Skylar. "Where did you get this?" He asked her, pulling out the map. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as Harry and Ron looked amazed. He turned back to Skylar.

"Nick… found it." She said. "Five years ago."

Skylar had never seen Remus look more disappointed. "I am _astounded _that you didn't hand it in, _Especially_ by you Skylar." She gapped at him. "Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Harry."

"What?!" Skylar snapped.

"If it got into the wrong hands," Remus began.

"You know very well Sirius Black doesn't need that map to get into the castle!" She snapped.

"Skylar," his voice was hard as he used his teacher's position on her, a student. Her expression turned angry as he turned back to the boys who were looking unsure by the confrontation. "Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them — gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."

Even Skylar had no argument as Remus turned and walked away. She balled her hands up and growled before she spun and moved back for the Gryffindor Common Room, the two boys sharing a look and following.

She didn't even get to vent however, Harry was feeling worse than he had even in Snape's office while Ron felt guilty.

"It's my fault," said Ron abruptly. "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it —"

He broke off; they reached the corridor where the security trolls were pacing, and Hermione was walking toward them. She had heard what had happened.

"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"

"No," said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. Skylar lost her anger and gapped, before she clapped her hands over her mouth. The boys glanced from her to Hermione. "I just thought you ought to know… Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43:

"He — He sent me this," Hermione said, holding out the letter.

Harry took it and he, Skylar and Ron put their heads together. The parchment was damp, and enormous tear-drops had smudged the ink so badly in places that it was very difficult to read.

_Dear Hermione and Skylar,_

_We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed._

_Beaky has enjoyed London._

_I won't forget all the help you both gave us._

_Hagrid _

"They can't do this," said Harry. "They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous."

"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope… Nothing will have changed."

"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."

"Oh, Ron!"

Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. While Harry and Skylar looked surprised at the confrontation between them both.

Finally, Hermione drew away.

"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers… ," she sobbed.

"Oh — well — he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."

"If they don't, I'll convince my parents too." Skylar smiled before she paused. "Hm, might not be that hard actually." And they all chuckled.

The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it impossible for Skylar, Harry, Ron, and Hermione to go and visit Hagrid in the evenings. Their only chance of talking to him was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons.

He seemed numb with shock at the verdict.

"S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em…"

"There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"

They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Draco, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively.

Harry and Hermione grabbed Skylar's arms as she went to march right after them in a fit of rage, stopping her.

"S'no good, Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that…"

Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.

"Look at him blubber!"

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.

"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Draco. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

Harry and Hermione released Skylar, the two boys both making furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first — SMACK!

She had slapped Draco across the face with all the strength she could muster. Draco staggered. Skylar, Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.

"Don't you _dare _call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —"

"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.

"Get _off, _Ron!"

Hermione pulled out her wand. Draco stepped backward, glancing at Skylar, who had her mouth open in surprise, as if he was looking for help. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered. Skylar was too surprised to do anything and Draco turned away from her.

"C'mon," Draco muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.

"Wow…" Skylar muttered surprised.

"_Hermione_!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed.

"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"

"We're due in Charms," said Ron, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go."

They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom, Skylar still gapping at Hermione, who gave her a fleeting glance, waved and diverted off right as they reached the classroom, Harry opening the door. Skylar said nothing, still surprised about Hermione smacking Draco.

"You're late, boys, Miss Rosenwald!" said Professor Flitwick reprovingly as Harry opened the classroom door. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs — You'll have to be a three."

"Three?" Harry asked as they hurried to a desk at the back, opening their books.

Ron looked behind him, also confused. "Where's Hermione gone?"

Harry looked around to as Skylar sat down, ignoring them both.

"That's weird," said Harry, staring at Ron. "Maybe — maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"

Even Skylar was confused when Hermione didn't turn up all lesson, after all, the time turner helped her get to lessons, she didn't miss them?

"She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too," said Ron as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly — the Cheering Charms had left them with a feeling of great contentment.

Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time they had finished their apple pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and Skylar was beginning to worry.

"Where is she?" She demanded. "Could something have happened?" Harry and Ron were also starting to get slightly worried.

"You don't think Malfoy did something to her?" Ron said anxiously as they hurried upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower.

That would be good news, Skylar though, what if something had gone wrong with the timeturner? They passed the security trolls, gave the Fat Lady the password ("Flibbertigibbet"), and scrambled through the portrait hole into the common room.

Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. They went to sit down on either side of her. Skylar breathed a sigh of relief, clearly she'd just reversed the time for her other classes and crashed before she could get to Charms. At least she wasn't stuck in time or something.

Harry prodded her awake.

"Wh — what?" said Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W — which lesson have we got now?"

"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?"

"You never turned up." Skylar nodded, giving her a knowing look as she rose an eyebrow.

"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"

"But how could you forget?" said Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"

"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!"

"You know what, Hermione?" said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."

"No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. Skylar grabbed it and handed it to her. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry… I'll see you in Divination!"

"Yeah she's loosing it." Skylar nodded as Hermione vanished out of the porthole. "Good luck with Divination." She added.

"And what are you going to do?" Harry asked.

"We have enough homework to keep me busy." She grumbled angrily. She paused thoughtfully. "Or, I could break into the Slytherin common room." She brightened up thoughtfully and Harry and Ron cracked a smile.

Skylar did sit down and do her homework, working through Snape's essay and her Transfiguration homework. She had almost finished when Hermione suddenly burst into the common room before the lesson ended. Skylar's forehead furrowed.

"What are you doing here?" She asked looking at the time. "You didn't stuff up your timing or something did you?"

"No! That… old bat!" Skylar gapped in surprise at Hermione insulting a teacher. "I'm not taking Divination anymore!" She snapped and she removed her _Unfogging the Future _textbook from her bag to slam it on the table in frustration. Skylar jumped before she paused as Hermione seethed.

"Well, there are better ways to spend your time." Skylar nodded in agreement.

Hermione nodded before she sat herself down to do some work. Skylar kept glancing at her, unsurely. Just before the classes ended Hermione left the common room to use the timeturner and redo the hour to go to another class. For Skylar however she was only gone for a few moments before she ran into her at dinner.

"She's gone mental." Ron muttered to Skylar when she questioned the lesson.

"She's had a hell of a day." Skyler mumbled and the two boys nodded.

"In other news, apparently Professor Trewlaney saw the grim in the crystal ball again." Harry grumbled.

Skylar pursed her lips and looked at the table. Harry eyed her for a moment and his eyes flickered to Ron. She avoided his gaze as he tried to gain her attention. Due to this he held her back when Ron left for the common room.

"Alright, we're talking, now." Harry said.

Skylar sighed and nodded. "Come on then." And she left the table with Harry in tow.

Harry chose an empty classroom and yanked on Skylar's arm to drag her into it. She cried out in surprise before he closed the door and turned to her.

"You said you knew why I was seeing the grim, and it keeps turning up."

Skylar looked scared for a moment. "You haven't seen it since the Hufflepuff match have you!?" she demanded.

"I thought you didn't think it was a death omen."

"It… It's not." She mumbled. "Well, depends how you see it…" she added.

"Sky," he prompted.

She huffed. "Alright, um, the grim, uh, well, remember… remember when I gave you the option of the dog being devoted, and following you around?" He nodded. She paused thinking. "Do you remember our first lesson in Transfiguration, what it was about?"

"Uh…" He rose an eyebrow at her random question.

Skylar sighed at his lack of memory not being able to help her.

"Sky, just tell me." He said simply.

She frowned. "It's not a dog Harry."

"What?" Harry asked confused, pausing. "You don't mean…?"

"No, it's not an omen," she mumbled, she was jigging up and down unable to stand still. "It's a 'he'." She frowned.

Harry was staring at her. "He?"

"It's an animagus!" She burst.

Harry paused. "An…?"

"A person who turns into an animal, like Professor McGonagall." She muttered.

"And how do you know that?"

Skylar took a breath. "My dad's an animagus." She muttered. Harry rose an eyebrow. "He's an illegal animagus, he never registered with the ministry." Harry was gapping at her. "He turns into a tiger, and that's why his nickname is Sabre on the Marauder's Map."

"What?"

"When they were all in school, my dad and his friends all figured out how to become animagus', my dad, your dad… Sirius Black…" she whispered.

Harry paused before he understood and he grabbed Skylar's shoulders. "Are you telling me that Sirius Black is an animagus!?" He demanded.

Skylar shushed him and looked at the doorway, frightened for a moment. He took a breath and released her and after a moment she nodded.

There was silence and Harry stared at her. "The dog…"

She nodded. "_He_ is the dog." Harry still had a look of bewilderment on his expression.

"In Surrey… at the game…" Harry whispered and she nodded.

"That's why no one can find him, because they're all looking for a person."

"Why haven't you told anyone!? Or your dad!? Or Lupin, he must know, you said they were friends!"

"Because it's illegal!" Skylar said, looking worried. "My dad never registered! My dad could be arrested, both my parents could lose their job and they all did something really bad during their time here at Hogwarts and who knows what could—" she broke off and looked down.

"Our dad's and their friends did stupid things when they were teenagers and I think dad and Remus are ashamed to admit it… me and my brother's don't want to get my dad in trouble, dad doesn't want to cause trouble for us, its one of the reasons he's here with Remus, or was, because they know the truth and can look out for the dog."

Harry was silent for a moment as he surveyed his friend. "So no one knows?"

"You mean aside from me, Nick, Leon, Remus, my mother and my father, and now you? No. Anyone else who knew… aren't with us anymore." She confessed.

Harry frowned, glancing downwards before he realised. "That's how he's getting into the school?"

"How he got into the grounds, is escaping the Ministry, I'm assuming it's why he got away from Azkaban, being an animal somehow helps him deal with the dementors it seems."

"So… so he was there… he was in Surrey."

"Yeah…" She whispered.

"How's he getting into the castle?"

"The Map Harry." Skylar said simply. "I told you my dad and his friends made it."

Harry's forehead furrowed. "Including Black?" She nodded. "Then he knows all the passages."

"Yeah, but I don't see how he's able to use any of them, even as an animal." She admitted frowning.

"That's how you knew he was in the grounds at the Hufflepuff game?"

Skylar nodded. "Because you saw him, as a dog. You're not seeing a death omen, you're seeing a person disguised as a dog."

"You didn't tell me?"

"I've been trying too," she mumbled obviously. "But how do you tell someone that a criminal murderer is hiding out in the school grounds by being a big black dog which shockingly enough resembles a death omen?" She asked.

"Like that?"

She shot him a look.

Harry was quiet for a moment, and his expression became confused. "But, if that was him in Surrey, why didn't he do anything?" Harry asked. "He just hid in the shadows until the light hit him."

"I don't know, I wondered that too. And why did he come to the quidditch game? Everyone knows you're on the team, he should have known he couldn't get to you while being in the air, what was the point?" She frowned. "It just… doesn't seem right. And no teacher or student would buy you a Firebolt, and he was the only other person in the stands, which was why I agreed with Hermione in thinking he sent it to you, but it's not jinxed or anything, so…"

"Have you talked to Lupin about this?" Harry asked.

She nodded. "Remus has been convincing himself that Sirius Black is using dark magic to do things, and not using his animagus ability to escape the Ministry." She frowned.

"Why?"

"Guilt. Shame." She listed.

They were silent for a moment.

"What do we do?" Harry asked.

"Avoid giant black dogs." She offered. Harry looked at her before he shook his head. "What?"

"Kinda explains why Trelawney keeps going on about the grim…"

"Yeah it actually is following you around." She grumbled. "Not a death omen, but definitely not a good sign."

Harry's forehead furrowed. "Hang on, if he's able to hide like this, why didn't he do it in the beginning? After killing Pettigrew and all those people?"

"You're asking the wrong girl." Skylar shrugged.

They were both silent before Skylar nodded her head and they left the room.

"We should tell Hermione and Ron."

"Hermione has enough on her plate, and Ron will completely freak out." Skylar frowned. "Besides, you have more important things to worry about."

"You mean other than a murderous lunatic being able to hide within the school grounds and no one knowing about it?"

"Remember my dad's coming with a heap of aurors, whether they know or not, Dad can do something." Skylar said. "I hope."


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44:

The Easter holidays came, but they were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville Longbottom seemed close to a nervous collapse, and he wasn't the only one.

"Call this a holiday!" Seamus Finnigan roared at the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"

But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Remus' under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.

Ron had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal with Skylar's help, the girl having known what they'd already researched. When either weren't doing their own work, they was pouring over enormously thick volumes with names like _The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology _and _Fowl or Foul_? _A Study of Hippogriff Brutality_. Ron was so absorbed, he even forgot to be horrible to Crookshanks.

Skylar and Harry hadn't told Hermione or Ron about the animagus, nor had they really spoken about it since. Both had made a silent agreement though that there was too much happening to really have a proper conversation over the issue, and neither could think of what to do on the matter.

While Hermione was busy with work, Ron and Skylar worked on Buckbeak's appeal, Harry, meanwhile, had to fit in his homework around Quidditch practice every day, not to mention endless discussions of tactics with Wood. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points. This meant that they needed to win the match by more than that amount to win the Cup. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on Harry, because capturing the Snitch was worth one hundred and fifty points.

"So you must catch it _only _if we're _more than _fifty points up," Wood told Harry constantly, he was constantly hounding Harry, during practice, in the corridors and the common room. "Only if we're more than fifty points up, Harry, or we win the match but lose the Cup. You've got that, haven't you? You must catch the Snitch only if we're —"

"I KNOW, OLIVER!" Harry yelled.

The whole of Gryffindor House was obsessed with the coming match. Gryffindor hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since the legendary Charlie Weasley (Ron's second oldest brother) had been Seeker. But Harry doubted whether any of them, even Wood, wanted to win as much as he did. The enmity between Harry and Draco was at its highest point ever. Draco was still smarting about the mud-throwing incident in Hogsmeade, where he'd seen Harry's floating head after the black-haired boy had thrown mud at Draco, and was even more furious that Harry had somehow wormed his way out of punishment. Harry hadn't forgotten Draco's attempt to sabotage him in the match against Ravenclaw, but it was the matter of Buckbeak that made him most determined to beat Draco in front of the entire school.

Never, in anyone's memory, had a match approached in such a highly charged atmosphere. By the time the holidays were over, tension between the two teams and their Houses was at the breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.

Harry was having a particularly bad time of it. He couldn't walk to class without Slytherins sticking out their legs and trying to trip him up; Crabbe and Goyle kept popping up wherever he went, and slouching away looking disappointed when they saw him surrounded by people. Wood had given instructions that Harry should be accompanied everywhere he went, in case the Slytherins tried to put him out of action. The whole of Gryffindor House took up the challenge enthusiastically, so that it was impossible for Harry to get to classes on time because he was surrounded by a vast, chattering crowd.

Harry of course was more concerned for his Firebolt's safety than his own. When he wasn't flying it, he locked it securely in his trunk and frequently dashed back up to Gryffindor Tower at break times to check that it was still there.

"No one's going to steal your broom, no one but a Gryffindor can get into the common room and none of them are going to take it."

"We thought that last year, when the dormitory was ransacked." Harry reminded Skylar.

"That's different, Ginny was terrified and being possessed by You-Know-Who."

"We also know that it is possible for someone else to get into the common room, Sirius Black did it."

"And measures have been taken since to stop him." She said. "I doubt he's going to find the passwords written down a second time."

"He can't get in another way?" He said pointedly.

"I don't see how he can…" she muttered but of course she wasn't sure.

"Are we going to tell Hermione and Ron about that?" Harry asked quietly.

"Maybe… later?" She mumbled. "When we've left the school and you've come back to my house where you're better protected than anywhere else because we all know to look our for a black dog." She offered grinning.

Harry chuckled and shook his head at her.

All usual pursuits were abandoned in the Gryffindor common room the night before the match. Even Hermione had put down her books.

"I can't work, I can't concentrate," she said nervously.

There was a great deal of noise. Fred and George Weasley were dealing with the pressure by being louder and more exuberant than ever. Oliver Wood was crouched over a model of a Quidditch field in the corner, prodding little figures across it with his wand and muttering to himself. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were laughing at Fred's and George's jokes. Harry was sitting with Skylar, Ron and Hermione, removed from the centre of things, trying not to think about the next day, because every time he did, he had the horrible sensation that something very large was fighting to get out of his stomach.

"You're going to be fine," Hermione told him, though she looked positively terrified.

"You've got a _Firebolt_!" said Ron.

"Yeah…," said Harry, his stomach writhing.

"Slytherin can't beat us." Skylar said confidently. "Even with the lead, there's no way Draco will catch the snitch before you can either." She said and Harry glanced at her. He nodded, but of course that didn't stop his nerves.

Wood stood up a while after the sun had set and suddenly yelled, "Team! Bed!" The entire team trooped up to bed, leaving more anticipation in their wake.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team entered the Great Hall the next day to enormous applause. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were also applauding loudly, everyone wanting to see Slytherin knocked off the top of the ladder. The Slytherin table hissed loudly as they passed.

"This is going to be a great game." Skylar grinned.

"Don't add any more pressure." Ron warned. Skylar waved him off.

"I think she's right, there's never been this much excitement before." Stephen Cornwall agreed as he sat down beside the girl.

"So you're supporting us then?"

"Definitely." He nodded as Ron shot Stephen a skeptical look.

Wood spent the whole of breakfast urging his team to eat, while touching nothing himself. Then he hurried them off to the field before anyone else had finished, so they could get an idea of the conditions. As they left the Great Hall, everyone applauded again.

"Good luck, Harry!" called Cho.

"Can we go now?" Skylar asked.

Nick, Leon, Stephen, Ginny, Seamus and Dean all chuckled at her.

"You're too eager Skylar." Nick said.

"It's the last Quidditch game!" She said grinning. "We are going to kick Slytherin's butts!"

"Wow… I've never seen you so excited…" Stephen confessed.

"Never get between my sister and a quidditch game." Nick warned with a serious expression on his face, nodding. Stephen rose an eyebrow and looked to see everyone else nodding in agreement. Skylar smiled guiltily.

Finally the school began to rise and the front doors opened for them to proceed down to the Quidditch Pitch. Many people were sporting scarlet rosettes and were holding flags with the Gryffindor Lion on it. Some people were holding banners in their hands as those wearing red all filed into the stands. There were only about two hundred people wearing green and they all moved to sit behind the Slytherin's goalpost.

The Gryffindor team left their locker rooms first, all dressed in their scarlet robes.

"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years —"

Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of "boos" from the Slytherin end.

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill —"

More boos from the Slytherin crowd. It was a highly educated assumption however, Draco was easily the smallest person on the Slytherin team; the rest of them were enormous.

"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.

Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.

"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three… two… one…"

The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air. Harry flew off and Draco was hot on his tail, both speeding off in search of the Snitch.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina — nice swerve around Montague — _duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger_! — SHE SCORES! TEN–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Skylar jumped up and down cheering with the rest of the Gryffindors, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs building the scream of delight while Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field.

"OUCH!"

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.

"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"

"You foul cheating git! That was dirty!" Skylar shouted angrily.

A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between them. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to _their _Chaser!"

"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Flint, still bleeding freely, flew forward to take the Slytherin penalty. Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts, his jaw clenched.

" 'Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Lee Jordan told the crowd as Flint waited for Madam Hooch's whistle. "Superb! Very difficult to pass — very difficult indeed — YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession — no! — Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field — THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"

Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head. Katie cart-wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle.

Skylar was shouting herself hoarse along with the rest of the angry crowd. Hermione was looking at Skylar unsurely and Stephen was chuckling at her reactions.

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.

"THIRTY–ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way — !"

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"

Harry suddenly had pulled his Firebolt around and sped off toward the Slytherin end and Malfoy went haring after him.

"He's seen it." Stephen said.

"If he has he's not chasing it." Skylar said.

"What?"

"We're not more than fifty points up yet, he catches it now, we'd win the game but lose the cup." She said simply.

WHOOSH.

One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again —

WHOOSH.

The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in.

Harry had a fleeting glimpse of Bole and Derrick zooming toward him, clubs raised —

"THAT'S UNPROVOKED!" Skylar was shouting as Harry turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch.

"Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! — it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke — oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save — !"

But Flint had scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.

"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession —"

It was turning into the dirtiest game ever seen. Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger. George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor.

The Snitch was yet to be caught, or at least seen by Draco, who was still keeping close to Harry as he soared over the match, looking around for it — once Gryffindor was fifty points ahead —

Katie scored. Fifty-ten. Fred and George Weasley were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded.

Madam Hooch was beside herself, much like a lot of the Gryffindors, including Skylar and Leon.

"YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" Madam Hooch shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!"

And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal — seventy-ten.

The Gryffindor crowd below was screaming itself hoarse — Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead, and if Harry caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs. Lots of people were now watching Harry as he soared around the field, high above the rest of the game, with Draco speeding along behind him.

And then he was shooting through the air, Draco shot to do the same, but he didn't try to pass Harry, instead, he threw himself forwards and grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail. Harry began to slow down as Draco was pulling it back.

Harry looked enraged, but couldn't reach the boy, while Draco was panting with the effort of holding onto the Firebolt.

"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics!" Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One, the Snitch clearly having vanished again.

"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —"

Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Draco's direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously.

Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet. The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins, delighted by Draco's foul on Harry, were being spurred on to greater heights.

"Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal — Montague scores —" Lee groaned. "Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor…"

Harry was now marking Draco so closely their knees kept hitting each other. Harry wasn't going to let Draco anywhere near the Snitch…

"Get out of it, Potter!" Draco yelled in frustration as he tried to turn and found Harry blocking him.

"Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"

And then every single Slytherin player apart from Draco was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina, including the Slytherin Keeper — they were all going to block her —

Harry wheeled the Firebolt around, bent so low he was lying flat along the handle, and kicked it forward. Like a bullet, he shot toward the Slytherins.

"AAAAAAARRRGH!"

They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed toward them; Angelina's way was clear.

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty points to twenty!"

Harry, who had almost pelted headlong into the stands, skidded to a halt in midair, reversed, and zoomed back into the middle of the field.

But his distraction had given Draco an advantage, and the boy had plummeted down into a dive, a look of triumph on his face — there, a few feet above the grass below, was a tiny, golden glimmer —

Harry urged the Firebolt downward, but Draco was miles ahead —

"Go! Go! Go!" Harry urged his broom. He was gaining on Draco — Harry flattened himself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at him — he was at Draco's ankles — he was level —

Harry threw himself forward, took both hands off his broom. He knocked Draco's arm out of the way and —

"YES!"

He pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Skylar was jumping up and down screaming and Leon was cheering with Ron. Harry soared above the crowd, the tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating its wings hopelessly against his fingers.

Then Wood was speeding toward him, half-blinded by tears; he seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder. Harry felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them; then Angelina's, Alicia's, and Katie's voices, "_We__'ve won the Cup_! _We__'ve won the Cup_!" Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth.

Wave upon wave of crimson supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the field. Hands were raining down on their backs. Skylar had everyone moving out of her way before she threw her arms around Harry's neck, cheering and grinning. He turned to her and beamed she was congratulating him over and over, many people clapping him on the back. Then he, and the rest of the team, were hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd. Thrust into the light, he saw Hagrid, plastered with crimson rosettes — "Yeh beat 'em, Harry, yeh beat 'em! Wait till I tell Buckbeak!" There was Percy, jumping up and down like a maniac, all dignity forgotten. Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag; and there, fighting their way toward Harry, were Ron and Hermione. Words failed them. They simply beamed as Harry was borne toward the stands, where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup. Wood took it, sobbing, before he passed it to Harry, who lifted it high into the air for all to see.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45:

The euphoria of Gryffindor winning the Quidditch Cup, and finally knocking Slytherin off the top, lasted at least a week, at least in Harry it did. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.

But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione.

Harry and Ron had given up asking her how she was managing to attend several classes at once, and they hadn't even considered asking Skylar, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. The first column read:

Monday

9 o'clock, Arithmancy

9 o'clock, Transfiguration

Lunch

1 o'clock, Charms

1 o'clock, Ancient Runes

"Hermione?" Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"

"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. "Yes, of course I have."

"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Harry.

"No," said Hermione shortly.

"Skylar, aren't you doing Ancient Runes too?" Harry asked.

"Yes." She responded and that was all she'd said. The two boys shared a confused look.

"Have either of you seen my copy of _Numerology and Gramatica_?" Hermione asked, changing the topic.

"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron, but very quietly. Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment around on her table, looking for the book.

"She'll kill you if she hears that." Skylar warned and Ron glanced at Hermione, a bit of worry in his expression at the idea.

Just then, there was a rustle at the window and Hedwig fluttered through it, a note clutched tight in her beak.

"It's from Hagrid," said Harry, ripping the note open. "Buckbeak's appeal — it's set for the sixth."

"That's the day we finish our exams," said Hermione, still looking everywhere for her Arithmancy book.

"And they're coming up here to do it," said Harry, still reading from the letter. "Someone from the Ministry of Magic and — and an executioner."

Skylar's draw dropped open while Hermione looked up, startled.

"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal! But that sounds as though they've already decided!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yeah, it does," said Harry slowly.

"They can't!" Ron howled. "I've spent _ages _reading up on stuff for him; they can't just ignore it all!"

Skylar looked livid and she slammed her hands down on the table angrily, causing the three to jump. It was clear that the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures had had its mind made up for it by Mr. Malfoy.

Draco, who had been noticeably subdued since Gryffindor's triumph in the Quidditch final, seemed to regain some of his old swagger over the next few days. From sneering comments Harry overheard, Draco was certain Buckbeak was going to be killed, and seemed thoroughly pleased with himself for bringing it about. It was all Harry could do to stop himself imitating Hermione and hitting Draco in the face on these occasions, though he had quite the time of it holding Skylar back.

"I'm going to turn his brain inside out!" She threatened angrily.

The worst thing of all though was that they had no time or opportunity to go and see Hagrid, because the strict new security measures had not been lifted, and Harry didn't dare retrieve his Invisibility Cloak from below the one-eyed witch passage. He'd left it there after his last visit to Hogsmeade.

Unfortunately for Draco, Hermione, Harry and Ron were not always with Skylar to stop her acting out in her utter disappointment at the platinum-blond haired boy. She ran into him in the corridor on her way to the library for a book to help her study for her Ancient Runes exam and his cockiness flared her anger.

"Looking forward to the end of term?" He asked grinning and Skylar knew he was talking about Buckbeak.

"So you want me to hex you." She snapped, pulling her want out. Draco looked at it a bit worried. "Do you seriously find it cool that you're killing an animal?" She demanded.

Draco scoffed. "I'm not killing him."

"Oh so you don't cast the curse, clearly you're completely innocent. You are murdering that animal and you're proud of it!" She all out snapped at him. "What because it causes Hagrid pain, murder is worth it?" He sneered at her, but she knew how he felt, he wasn't happy at what she said and was convincing himself otherwise. "This is a monstrous act Draco Malfoy. No wonder people like Harry better, he's actually compassionate and not willing to kill just because he got an injury!"

The look on Draco's face was mutinous. Skylar had hit a sore spot, she was well aware of Draco's jealously towards Harry.

"Like father like son I suppose." She pushed that last button and before he could fire back, Skylar shoved her way past him and was rather proud of herself for not firing a curse. Unfortunately the entire confrontation brought her mood down considerably and she found it hard to concentrate on her schoolwork.

Exam week began and an unnatural hush fell over the castle. The third years emerged from Transfiguration at lunchtime on Monday, limp and ashen-faced, comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set, which had included turning a teapot into a tortoise. Hermione irritated the rest by fussing about how her tortoise had looked more like a turtle, which was the least of everyone else's worries.

"Mine still had a spout for a tail, what a nightmare…"

"Were the tortoises _supposed _to breathe steam?"

"It still had a willow-patterned shell, d'you think that'll count against me?"

Then, after a hasty lunch, it was straight back upstairs for the Charms exam. Hermione had been right; Professor Flitwick did indeed test them on Cheering Charms. Harry slightly overdid his out of nerves and Ron, who was partnering him, ended up in fits of hysterical laughter and had to be led away to a quiet room for an hour before he was ready to perform the charm himself. Skylar and Hermione had performed the spell perfectly, even though Hermione had missed the lesson.

After dinner, the students hurried back to their common rooms, not to relax, but to start studying for Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, and Astronomy.

Hagrid presided over the Care of Magical Creatures exam the following morning with a very preoccupied air indeed; his heart didn't seem to be in it at all. He had provided a large tub of fresh flobberworms for the class, and told them that to pass the test, their flobberworm had to still be alive at the end of one hour. As flobberworms flourished best if left to their own devices, it was the easiest exam any of them had ever taken, and also gave Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid.

"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretence of checking that Harry's flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still… we'll know day after tomorrow — one way or the other —"

They had Potions that afternoon, they were brewing a Confusing Concoction, which everyone seemed to be struggling in as Snape loomed over them all, scoring their progress.

Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning. Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time the next day, when it would all be over.

Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart.

"Excellent, Harry," Lupin muttered as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."

Flushed with his success, Harry hung around to watch Skylar, Ron and Hermione. Skylar passed and did very well, unable to be tricked by the hinkypunk due to her gift, and remembering several good spells to face the Red Cap and Grindylow before she faced the Boggart. She still hadn't been sure about her worst fear, but the Boggart did know. It wasn't just darkness, it was silence and it took a while for her to grip her head right, after freaking out about being lost, to be able to think of how to turn such a scene funny. Finally, she created a disco with flashing lights and pounding music and she climbed out of the trunk with a deep breath and a slight smile.

"Excellent Skylar." Remus smiled at her.

"Good, god." She mumbled as she stood beside Harry.

"What happened?"

"I think… well I think my biggest fear was to have my gift removed." She confessed.

Harry looked surprised and she avoided the gaze, concentrating on watching her classmates in the exam. It made sense though, even if she did sometimes hate it, it was her best weapon and she loved having it, to have it taken away…

Ron did very well until he reached the hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.

"Hermione!" said Remus, startled. "What's the matter?"

"P — P — Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh — she said I'd failed everything!"

It took a little while to calm Hermione down. When at last she had regained a grip on herself, she, Skylar, Harry, and Ron went back to the castle. Ron was still slightly inclined to laugh at Hermione's boggart, but an argument was averted by the sight that met them on the top of the steps.

Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of Harry.

"Hello there, Harry!" he said. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"Skylar, been a good year?"

"As well as it can be what with the circumstances." She said, glancing at Harry who caught the look.

"Don't worry, we'll get him." He assured.

Skylar rolled her lips to repress the scoff while Hermione and Ron, not being on speaking terms with the Minister of Magic, hovered awkwardly in the background.

"Lovely day," said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake. "Pity… pity…"

He sighed deeply and looked down at Harry.

"I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."

"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron interrupted, stepping forward.

"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at Ron.

"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" said Ron stoutly. "The hippogriff might get off!"

Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin black moustache. It was clear that they were representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this… Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"

The black-moustached man was fingering something in his belt; he was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs and jerked her head toward the entrance hall.

"Why'd you stop me?" said Ron angrily as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"

"Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" said Hermione, but she too looked very upset. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak…"

"Yeah…" Skylar mumbled frowning, she didn't have much confidence. She knew Harry and Hermione didn't have any either, not believing Hermione's words.

All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join in.

Harry's and Ron's last exam was Divination; Hermione's, Muggle Studies; Skylar's Ancient Runes. They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione left them on the first floor, Skylar the third, and Harry and Ron proceeded all the way up to the seventh.

Skylar was rather impressed with how her Ancient Runes exam went, Hermione of course wouldn't have told her anything when she'd done it earlier due to her full schedule, and the girl had been so absorbed with studying, Skylar wouldn't have been able to get anything out of her if she'd tried. But even without the edge she went back to the Common Room rather cheerfully, exams were over!

Hermione arrived after Skylar did, the common room was rather empty as everyone else was enjoying time outside in the sun. Hermione was looking rather relieved.

"Well?"

"I can sleep." She said simply.

"You're the one who took so many subjects." Skylar chuckled. "Going to do it again next year?"

"I don't know if I can, that time turner uses a lot." Hermione lowered her voice slightly.

"Well, what will you drop?"

"We'll see." She shrugged.

Skylar rolled her eyes.

Ron was next to join them and the two girls asked him how he went. "I made everything up, I didn't see anything. Don't think she bought it though."

"That's probably all the subject is." Hermione huffed.

Before Harry arrived back however, Hedwig came to the window with a letter. It was from Hagrid and the three put their heads together. Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible. It wasn't good news.

_Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it_

_Hagrid_

"What?" Skylar asked appalled, her mouth gapping. Hermione gasped and covered her mouth sadly while Ron slumped, frowning.

"But, all the facts…" he mumbled.

Harry seemed to burst into the common room at that moment, seeing the three of them in the corner.

"Professor Trelawney," Harry panted, "just told me —"

Skylar looked at Harry, surprised by his outburst but he stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.

"Buckbeak lost," said Ron weakly. "Hagrid's just sent this."

Harry read it before looking up at the three.

"We've got to go," said Harry at once. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"

"We're going." Skylar agreed, standing to her feet.

"Sunset, though," said Ron, who was staring out the window in a glazed sort of way. "We'd never be allowed… 'specially you, Harry…"

Harry sank his head into his hands, thinking.

"If we only had the Invisibility Cloak…"

"Where is it?" said Hermione.

Harry told her about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch when he'd had to run back to the castle after Draco had seen him at the last Hogsmeade visit. "… if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished.

"That's true," said Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees _you…_ How do you open the witch's hump again?"

"You — you tap it and say, '_Dissendium,_' " said Harry. "But —"

Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.

"She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron said, staring after her.

"She has." Skylar nodded somewhat surprised.

Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes.

"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney —"

Hermione looked rather flattered.

"Maybe all those classes are melting her brain…" Skylar mumbled. Harry had to try very hard not to snicker.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46:

They went down to dinner with everybody else, but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterward. Harry had the cloak hidden down the front of his robes; he had to keep his arms folded to hide the lump. They skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard a last set of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming.

Hermione poked her head around the door. "Okay," she whispered, "no one there — cloak on —"

Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the hall on tiptoe beneath the cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees.

"By the way guys, just incase," Skylar began quietly. "If anyone sees a dog, don't keep it to yourselves."

"What?" Ron asked as Harry glanced at her.

"Just trust me, I'll tell you all later." She promised.

"Oh, Sky, I saw it again." Harry said.

"You what?!" She demanded rather loudly, stopping in her tracks. The three shushed her as she looked at Harry startled.

"Before the game." He said, "With Crookshanks."

"With…?"

"Crookshanks?" Hermione questioned.

"What are you talking about? Can we go?" Ron hissed.

"Why didn't you tell me!?" She demanded angrily, though she continued walking, the others with her.

"I forgot, what with the game and all." He confessed.

"You forgot!"

"Will you two cut it out, or at least fill us in." Ron snapped.

Skylar shot Harry an annoyed look as he looked apologetic but dropped it.

They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.

"It's us," Harry hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled off the cloak.

Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears.

"Wan' some tea?" he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.

"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" said Hermione hesitantly.

"I — I took him outside," said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' — an' smell fresh air — before —"

Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.

"I'll do it, Hagrid," said Hermione quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.

"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve. Harry glanced at Ron, who looked back hopelessly. Skylar moved over and rubbed Hagrid's arm, though there was nothing she could say.

"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore —"

"He's tried," said Hagrid. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared… Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like… threatened 'em, I expect… an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's… but it'll be quick an' clean… an' I'll be beside him…"

Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort.

"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore…"

Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.

"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.

"Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway… If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble."

"Stuff that." Skylar said. "We can't leave you with this, even if Dumbledore is here."

Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek.

"Ron! I — I don't believe it — it's _Scabbers_!"

Ron gaped at her.

"What are you talking about?"

Hermione carried the milk jug over to the table and turned it upside down. With a frantic squeak, and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers the rat came sliding out onto the table.

"Scabbers!" said Ron blankly. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?"

He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful. He was thinner than ever, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving wide bald patches, and he writhed in Ron's hands as though desperate to free himself.

"You mean he did run away?!" Skylar asked, her eyes wide and in surprise. "Why the blood?" she mumbled confused, looking at Harry, but he only shrugged, of all the things that were surprising.

"It's okay, Scabbers!" said Ron. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"

Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the colour of parchment.

"They're comin'…"

Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.

"Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. "They mustn' find yeh here… Go now…"

Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak.

"I'll let yeh out the back way," said Hagrid.

They followed him to the door into his back garden. It was terrible when they saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Buckbeak seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously.

Skylar paused and looked up, someone was watching them. She heard the thoughts before they were suddenly gone. She glanced around in utter confusion before she pursed her lips unsurely. It couldn't be… did she just hear… That couldn't be right…

"It's okay, Beaky," said Hagrid softly. "It's okay…" He turned to Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on," he said. "Get goin'."

But they didn't move.

"Hagrid, we can't —"

"We'll tell them what really happened —"

"They can't kill him —"

"Go!" said Hagrid fiercely. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

They had no choice. As Hermione threw the cloak over Harry, Skylar, and Ron, they heard voices at the front of the cabin. Hagrid looked at the place where they had just vanished from sight.

"Go quick," he said hoarsely. "Don' listen…"

And he strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door.

Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance, Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione set off silently around Hagrid's house. As they reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap.

"Please, let's hurry," Hermione whispered. "I can't stand it, I can't bear it…"

"Let's get out of here." Skylar agreed in a whisper.

They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged grey, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow.

Ron stopped dead.

"Oh, please, Ron," Hermione began.

"It's Scabbers — he won't — stay put —"

Ron was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.

"Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, it's Ron," Ron hissed.

They heard a door open behind them and men's voices.

"Oh, Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!" Hermione breathed.

"Okay — Scabbers, stay _put _—"

They walked forward; Harry, like Hermione, was trying not to listen to the rumble of voices behind them. Ron stopped again.

"I can't hold him — Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us —" The rat was squealing wildly, but not loudly enough to cover up the sounds drifting from Hagrid's garden. There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence, and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe.

Hermione swayed on the spot and Skylar felt her breath get caught in her throat.

"They did it!" Hermione whispered. "I d — don't believe it — they did it!"

None of them moved, they were all shocked still, transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak.

The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.

"Hagrid," Harry muttered. Without thinking about what he was doing, he made to turn back, but both Ron and Hermione seized his arms.

"We can't," said Ron, who was paper-white. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him…"

Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.

"How — could — they?" She choked. "How _could _they?"

Skylar was frozen, staring at the ground before her, her eyes wide.

"Come on," said Ron, whose teeth seemed to be chattering.

Harry placed an arm around Skylar to guide her forwards and they set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the cloak. The light was fading fast now.

By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.

"Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, be quiet!" Hermione whispered urgently. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute —"

"He won't — stay — put —"

Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip.

"What's the _matter _with him?"

Skylar suddenly grabbed Harry and he turned to her. "What?"

"We're not alone." She whispered.

"What?" Hermione chorused with Harry as Ron was trying to control his rat.

Skylar was turning to look around and Harry joined her before he spotted it, slinking towards them. His body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness, was Crookshanks.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

But the cat was getting nearer —

"Scabbers — NO!"

Too late — the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before Harry or Hermione could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.

"_Ron_!" Hermione moaned.

She and Harry looked at each other, then followed at a sprint. Skylar was left behind, uncovered as the two took the cloak, and she was looking around in confusion and worry. But the voices were fading along with her friends. Glancing around again she turned and sprinted off after the three. Hermione and Harry were ahead of her, and the cloak streamed behind them like a banner as they hurtled after Ron, having removed it. Ron was out of her sight, but all three of them could hear his feet thundering along ahead and his shouts at Crookshanks.

"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come _here _—"

There was a loud thud.

"_Gotcha_! Get off, you stinking cat —"

Harry and Hermione almost fell over Ron; they skidded to a stop right in front of him and Skylar caught up behind them. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.

"Ron — come on — back under the cloak —" Hermione panted. "Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute —"

But Skylar stumbled backwards and a scream left her mouth, much to the surprise of all three of them. Bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow was an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.

Harry reached for his wand, but too late — the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit him on the chest; he keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth —

But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off him. Skylar had ducked and she turned to see him growling and skidding along the ground for a different target.

Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm.

"No! Leave him alone!" Skylar screamed.

Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll — Skylar shot forwards, her wand was useless with Ron and Harry in the way. Unfortunately, something else had joined the fray. Skylar was struck across the chest and Harry was hit so hard across his face that both were knocked off their feet. Hermione who'd been with them was also knocked over and with a shriek she fell too.

Harry was first to react, lighting his wand. "_Lumos_!" he whispered.

The wandlight showed him the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer.

And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots — Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight —

"Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backward again.

"Get off him!" Skylar called in desperation.

All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground — but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight.

"Oh my god…" Skylar whispered.

"Harry — we've got to go for help —" Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.

"No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time —"

"Harry," Skylar whispered and she turned to him. "We can't face him!" She looked terrified. "We can't take you to him!"

"He has Ron!"

"But, we're third years and he… those people…!" Harry could see how white she was, despite the blood by her collarbone.

Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles.

"There's no time!"

"Harry — we're never going to get through without help —" Hermione agreed.

"If that dog can get in, we can," Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but he couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows.

"Oh, help, help," Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, "please…" Skylar was ducking and darting to avoid the branches as well before suddenly Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk.

Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered uncertainly. She now grasped Harry's arm painfully hard. "How did he know — ?"

"He's friends with… that dog," said Harry grimly. "I've seen them together. Come on — and keep your wand out —"

"Harry!" Skylar said.

"We don't know what he'll do if we just leave!"

"But… but…" Skylar said.

"What else would you have us do?" Harry demanded.

Skylar had nothing and she turned to the trunk. Harry took her hand.

"You should stay here." Skylar said and she released his hand and moved forwards.

"What are you two going on about?" Hermione whispered as Harry scoffed and followed Skylar.

"It's not a dog Hermione." Skylar said as they reached the gap in the roots. Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottlebrush tail. "It's an animagus." She whispered.

Hermione was gapping as Skylar disappeared through the hole in the floor. She looked at Harry who ignored the look and followed the Legilimens. Skylar slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel. Harry slid down behind her as she moved slightly forwards. Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside him.

"Where's Ron?" She whispered in a terrified voice.

"This way," said Harry, setting off, bent-backed, after Crookshanks.

"Skylar, how do you know it's an animagus?" Hermione demanded.

"You don't want me to answer that." Skylar returned. Skylar knew Hermione would completely freak out is she knew the truth. "Just don't let go of Harry." Harry shot her an annoyed look as they continued down the path.

"Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked breathlessly from behind them.

"I don't know… It's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it… It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade…"

"This is madness." Skylar whispered. "Why'd he take Ron though?"

"Lure us."

"How stupid we are for going."

"We can't leave him." Harry defended.

Skylar knew that was true, but it didn't stop her from internally freaking out.

They moved as fast as they could, bent almost double; ahead of them, Crookshanks's tail bobbed in and out of view. On and on went the passage, but Skylar's entire mind was on what they were going to do when they reached the other end. This was Sirius Black they were going after, and what could they, three teenagers, do against a mass murderer? Oh they should have gone for help! Found Remus at least!

Finally, the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Instead, there was a patch of dim light through a small opening. Skylar approached it first and then paused. She turned to Harry and Hermione, all of them gasping for breath, edging forward. Skylar, her wand in hand, along with Hermione and Harry, rose her wands to see what lay beyond.

It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up.

Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded. He turned to Skylar and she nodded as well before she began to pull herself out. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Harry climbed out beside her and Hermione followed, grabbing Harry's arm again. Her wide eyes were traveling around the boarded windows.

"Harry," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."

Harry looked around. His eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely.

"Ghosts didn't do that," he said slowly.

"No." Skylar said. "That's cause this place was never haunted."

"What?" Harry asked.

At that moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. All of them looked up at the ceiling. Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs.

They reached the dark landing.

"_Nox,_" Hermione and Harry whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out, Skylar having never lit her wand. Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring.

Skylar took a deep breath, Harry and her shared a look before with a last nod shared with Hermione, they turned back to the door.

Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47:

On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron.

Harry and Hermione dashed across to him, but Skylar, seeing he was alive, stepped into the room and turned around instantly.

And there he was. A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.

"Ron — are you okay?"

"Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain.

"Harry, it's a trap — He's the dog… he's an Animagus…"

Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them.

"_Expelliarmus_!" he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.

Skylar's, Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry behind Skylar who instantly took a step back as he stepped forwards.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…"

"I can't believe you." Skylar whispered, her voice shaking somewhat. "You sold out someone who would help you like that! Do you have any idea how many people you hurt!"

"You're just like your mother," he said, his eyes on her.

At the taunt of his father, Harry had started forward, but both Hermione and Ron on either side of him had grabbed him and held him back, while Skylar backed up towards him to block him from running forwards, like he wanted to. His anger had suddenly flared so high Skylar had never felt such from him before.

"No, Harry!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper; Ron, however, spoke to Black.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more colour, and he swayed slightly as he spoke.

Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes.

"Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."

Skylar's fear faded slightly and she stared at the man before her, shock flittering into her. _What?_

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Black, and his grin widened.

"Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet!"

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, and with a huge effort he broke free of Hermione's and Ron's restraint and lunged forward —

Skylar had launched to grab him as well but Harry stretched an arm and shoved her aside in his anger.

Perhaps it was the shock of Harry doing something so stupid, but Black didn't raise the wands in time — one of Harry's hands fastened over his wasted wrist, forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of Harry's other hand collided with the side of Black's head and they fell, backward, into the wall —

Hermione was screaming; Ron was yelling; Skylar was standing in absolute shock, there was a blinding flash as the wands in Black's hand sent a jet of sparks into the air that missed Harry's face by inches; Harry felt the shrunken arm under his fingers twisting madly, but he clung on, his other hand punching every part of Black it could find.

But Black's free hand had found Harry's throat — "No," he hissed, "I've waited too long —"

The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew.

"NO!" Skylar shouted and the two of them froze instantly. Black released Harry and both of them seemed to spring apart as Skylar grabbed Harry and pulled him back, holding him tight both physically and mentally. She moved forwards and wretched the wands out of Black's hands as he was frozen and still. He stared at Skylar as Harry was fighting her.

"Skylar! Get off! Stop it!" He demanded.

Skylar was staring at Sirius though, standing beside him, the wands in one hand.

"Your father could never do that." He said.

She didn't respond, she was staring at him with surprise, confusion, fear and uncertainty. She could see it, he wasn't here for Harry, he was here… he was here for Ron's rat? She turned around confused and looked towards Ron on the floor, there was a lump in Ron's pocket as usual as Ron held his leg with both hands.

Her confusion distracted her and Harry suddenly moved forwards to snatch one of the wands out of Skylar's hand. He pushed her slightly to get between her and Black as he turned and pointed the wand towards Black, right at his heart. Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Harry.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" he whispered.

"You killed my parents," said Harry, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand quite steady.

Black stared up at him out of those sunken eyes.

"I don't deny it," he said very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story."

"The whole story?" Harry repeated, a furious pounding in his ears. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand…"

"I understand a lot better than you think," said Harry, and his voice shook more than ever. "You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me… and you did that… you did it…"

Skylar suddenly gasped and everyone looked at her. Her hands were over her mouth. She'd heard it, seen it, it was all fake, it was all a lie, a deception, Sirius Black hadn't killed anyone, directly or indirectly. He was innocent!

Something ginger streaked past Harry; Crookshanks leapt onto Black's chest and settled himself there, right over Black's heart. Black blinked and looked down at the cat.

"Get off," he murmured, trying to push Crookshanks off him.

But Crookshanks sank his claws into Black's robes and wouldn't shift. He turned his ugly, squashed face to Harry and looked up at him with those great yellow eyes. To his right, Hermione gave a dry sob.

Harry stared down at Black and Crookshanks, his grip tightening on the wand. Harry raised the wand.

"No wait!" Skylar grabbed his arm and pulled on it to move the wand away from the prisoner and cat, forgetting she had three in her hand which she could easily disarm him with. Instead she tossed the three wands to Hermione, who caught them. "It wasn't him! He didn't do it!" She said quickly.

"What?!" Harry fought against her, trying to get her off and point the wand back at Sirius and Crookshanks.

"He didn't do it! He's innocent!"

"SKYLAR GET OFF!" Harry raged.

"NO!" She snapped back.

A new sound interrupted the two in their arguing and everyone turned to the door —

Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor — someone was moving downstairs.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE — SIRIUS BLACK — _QUICK_!"

Black made a startled movement that almost dislodged Crookshanks; Harry pushed and fought Skylar, an absolutely furious look on his face while she stayed determined and held his gaze. The footsteps were thundering up the stairs now and then suddenly, the door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks.

Remus suddenly came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry and Skylar, wrestling over the wand in Harry's hand as Black was crumpled at the two's feet.

"Remus!" Skylar said surprised before suddenly her father came running in behind him. "Dad!"

"_Expelliarmus_!" Remus shouted instantly.

Harry's wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the three Hermione was holding. Remus caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest. Nathaniel moved over to Skylar and looked her over, she released Harry, who seemed to lose all his fight with the wand now removed from his grip.

"Are you alright?"

"Dad, dad he's innocent, dad he didn't do it!" She said, shocked by the words and the revolution she'd discovered. "I heard it, I saw the truth."

To her complete surprise he nodded. Her forehead furrowed. "You… you know?"

Nathaniel turned to Black, as Remus was also staring at him.

"Where is he, Sirius?"

Harry was looking from Skylar and Nathaniel, to Remus, to Black in confusion.

Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered. Skylar did as well, and her expression was angry, Ron looked completely shocked by her gaze.

"But then…," Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "…why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless"

"They switched!" Skylar said, being the only one to understand anything that was happening.

"Switched?" Nathaniel asked and she nodded.

"Sirius had them switch secretly!"

Remus' eyes suddenly widened, he and Nathaniel shared an understanding look. "_He _was the one… you switched… without telling us?" Remus turned back to Black.

Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Remus' face, Black nodded. He turned to Nathaniel who was looking most relieved and with understanding.

"Professor," Harry interrupted loudly, "what's going on — ?"

But he lost his words as Remus lowered his wand, gazing fixedly at Black. The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.

Remus let go of Black and turned to her, so did the two Rosenwalds. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Remus, wild-eyed. "You — you —"

"Hermione —"

" — you and him!"

"Hermione, calm down —"

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you — Skylar said you weren't bad — said you were trust worthy! She said you weren't helping him!"

Hermione looked at Skylar shocked and with disbelief. It grew when she didn't see anger from the girl, but pity. Nathaniel was watching Sirius, his forehead furrowed as if curious.

"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Remus shouted. "I can explain —"

Harry was just as angry, filled with fury. "I trusted you," he shouted at Remus, his voice wavering out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now — Let me explain…"

"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too — _he's a werewolf_!"

There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Remus, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale. Nathaniel and Skylar were the only ones not staring at him, Skylar was looking at Hermione appalled.

"Hermione!" She whispered and Hermione looked at her, gapping at her tone of voice, filled with disappointment.

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," Remus said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead…" An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Remus made toward him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped, "Get away from me, werewolf!"

Remus stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?"

"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…" Remus glanced at Skylar and she shrugged innocently, she hadn't told him after all.

"He'll be delighted," said Remus coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realise what my symptoms meant… Did you check the lunar chart and realise that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realise that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione said quietly.

Remus forced a laugh.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

"I'm not," Hermione whispered. "Or I would have convinced the Headmaster of the mistake he made hiring you!"

"Hermione!" Skylar gasped.

"How can you trust him!" Hermione demanded of Skylar.

"He's done nothing wrong!"

"He's helping him!" Hermione pointed to Sirius.

"Sirius is innocent!"

Hermione stared at Skylar standing beside her father who had turned to the girl, a look of serious disapproving on his face at her judgement.

"Dumbledore trusts him, he hired him and everything and you think you know better!" Skylar demanded.

"Dumbledore clearly doesn't know everything!" Hermione continued.

"Neither do you! Shockingly enough Hermione you're not smarter than Albus Dumbledore no matter how prideful you might be." Harry and Ron looked at Skylar shocked and Hermione looked hurt.

"Skylar, they don't know." Nathaniel said sternly.

"You and Dumbledore worked hard to convince teachers like Snape that Remus was trustworthy and he wouldn't betray that! He's wiser now than he was back then! She has no right to jump to conclusions!"

"WELL HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled, making them all jump slightly. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!" He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg, Nathaniel moved over to Ron and looked his leg over, glancing at his old friend.

"I have _not _been helping Sirius," said Remus. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —"

He separated Harry's, Ron's, Skylar's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Harry caught his, stunned.

"There," said Remus, sticking his own wand back into his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

"If you haven't been helping him," Harry said after a moment, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"

"The map," said Remus. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it. I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?"

He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet.

"Nathaniel arrived for an update on to what had been happening, only just being able to get away, he was astounded I had it, even more so when he learnt where I got it from."

"It's Nick's fault." Skylar grumbled, earning a look from her father. She returned it.

"You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry —" Remus continued,

"How d'you know about the cloak?"

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…," said Remus, waving an impatient hand. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. The two of us watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!"

"We couldn't believe our eyes," said Remus, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption, glancing at Nathaniel. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"Twelve years later," Nathaniel mumbled, shaking his head.

"No one was with us!" said Harry.

"And then we saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled _Sirius Black__…_ We saw him collide with you; We watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —"

"One of us!" Ron said angrily.

"No, Ron," said Remus. "Two of you."

Nathaniel placed a hand on Ron's shoulder as Remus stopped pacing, his eyes moving over Ron.

"Do you think we could have a look at the rat?" Nathaniel asked gently.

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," said Remus.

Ron looked at Nathaniel but there was something about the man that calmed Ron down, Skylar knew her father was persuading the boy, but pursed her lips. She needed to know.

Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Black's leg and made a soft hissing noise.

Remus moved closer to Ron, Nathaniel and him peering closely and carefully. Both seemed to be holding their breaths as they gazed intently at Scabbers.

"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.

"What d'you mean — of course he's a rat —"

"No, he's not," said Nathaniel quietly.

"He's a wizard." Remus agreed.

"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48:

Everyone was still and silent, Hermione, Ron and Harry all looking unsure and not believing this fact. Nathaniel was still staring, glaring, at the wriggling rat.

Skylar broke the silence. "I have to admit, I don't understand that, how did he… when did…?" she shook her head, trying to sift through and understand.

"When Sirius went to kill him." Nathaniel said and his daughter looked up at him.

No one else understood either but they struggled to understand differently.

"You're both mental." Ron voiced.

"Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly.

"Peter Pettigrew's _dead_!" said Harry. "_He _killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively.

"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me… not this time, though!"

And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg.

"Sirius, NO!" Remus yelled, both he and Nathaniel launched themselves forwards and dragged Black away from Ron again, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain —"

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Black, trying to throw both his old friends off. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape.

"And when — they get in — the way to — stop you? What — will — you — do — then?" Nathaniel demanded, struggling.

"They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything!" Remus panted, still trying to restrain Black. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand! And Harry — you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"

Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.

"All right, then," Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"

"You're nutters, both of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support, and then to Skylar who's eyes were narrowed on the rat. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."

He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Remus raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.

"You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him and pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Remus.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them…"

"Yes, Muggles, who didn't understand." Nathaniel nodded. "None with experience in such matters, or able to properly perceive the events."

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Remus, nodding.

"We all thought he was dead, never considered he'd survived." Nathaniel nodded.

"Even though there was only robes and a finger left?" Skylar mumbled, an unsure look on her face. After all, what curse could obliterate someone that badly?

"I believed it myself — We both did, until we saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry." Remus assured.

Harry and Ron shared a look and Skylar rolled her eyes. Nathaniel chuckled. "We're not mad boys." He assured.

Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Remus to talk sensibly.

"But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…"

"Why can't it be true?" Remus said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with grindylows.

"Because… because people would _know _if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things … and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list —"

Remus started laughing and Nathaniel was chuckling as well.

"Um, Hermione, there can be illegal animagi." Skylar said obviously. "They just don't register."

"Right again, Hermione!" Remus said. "But the Ministry never knew that there used to be four unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers's every desperate move. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Remus, "I only know how it began…"

"Yeah, with you." Nathaniel said smirking. Remus didn't deny this before there was a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All seven of them stared at it. Then Remus strode toward it and looked out into the landing.

"No one there…"

"This place is haunted!" said Ron.

"It's not," said Remus, Skylar and Nathaniel.

"The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me." Remus confessed.

He pushed his greying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment, then said, "That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…"

"You weren't the only fool Remus." Nathaniel assured, placing a reassuring hand on his old friend's arm. "You didn't force any of this."

Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione said, "Shh!" She was watching Remus very intently.

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.

"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.

"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…" Remus sighed, and looked directly at Harry. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted _because _I came to Hogwarts. This house" — Lupin looked miserably around the room, — "the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous.

"My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumour… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it…

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, four great friends. Nathaniel Rosenwald… Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, Harry — James Potter.

"Now, my four friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her… I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth…

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

"My dad too?" said Harry, astounded. Skylar chuckled and Nathaniel did too.

"Your dad turned into a stag Harry, giant as with antlers." She looked up at her father who nodded.

"Spectacular." Nathaniel grinned.

"Yes, indeed," said Remus in agreement. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father, Nathaniel and Sirius here, were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from the three. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."

"But how did that help you?" said Hermione, sounding puzzled.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Remus. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"Hurry up, Remus," snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face. Skylar shot him a glare and Nathaniel pat her hair to calm her down, shaking his head at Sirius' impatience.

"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, and Nathaniel into such a ferocious one, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did… And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs. Nathaniel is Sabre."

"That was still really dangerous!" said Hermione. "Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

Nathaniel heaved a sigh and looked worried himself, nodding in agreement with her accusations.

"A thought that still haunts us," said Remus heavily, looking at Nathaniel. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness.

"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led four fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…"

"We haven't changed. We've been spending the year, saving our own skins." Nathaniel sighed and looked down at his daughter, "And forcing other's to share our burdens unfairly."

Skylar frowned and dropped her gaze, Hermione and Ron looked at her shocked.

Remus' face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, Nate and I have been battling with each other, wondering whether we should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it."

"We didn't do it." Nathaniel corrected, frowning.

"And why?"

"Because we were too cowardly." Nathaniel nodded, shame in his face. Skylar hugged her father comfortingly.

"It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd lead others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… Skylar of course knew better, knew better than to lie to me or herself, she knew that was why… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along." Remus continued.

"Snape?" said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers for the first time in minutes and looking up at Remus. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius," said Remus heavily. "He's teaching here as well." He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defence Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me —"

Black made a derisive noise. "It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…"

"Bit childish to still be holding a grudge." Skylar mumbled.

"And he's not." Nathaniel added annoyed. Skylar elbowed him.

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Remus told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field… anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…"

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Remus.

Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Remus.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49:

Hermione screamed, Skylar jumped and Nathaniel's forehead furrowed with dislike rather quickly. Black leapt to his feet. Harry felt as though he'd received a huge electric shock.

"Severous." Nathaniel scowled.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Remus' chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you…"

Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you and Rosenwald running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus —" Remus began, but Snape overrode him.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. But who'd have thought you were both working together, what did you help him escape Azkaban as well?" Snape turned to look at Nathaniel and Skylar stared incredulously.

"Are you kidding me!" Nathaniel pulled on her arm as she'd taken a step forwards.

"Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Remus urgently. "You haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry —"

"Three more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a _tame _werewolf — And you, Rosenwald, here to help out the school, to do better than your predecessor —"

"We both know you preferred Lucius on the board." Nathaniel said simply.

"You fool," said Remus softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Remus' mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move. With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes.

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.

No one seemed to know what to do but Nathaniel who reached for his wand in his pocket. Hermione kept Snape from noticing the action as she spoke. "Professor Snape — it — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w — would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Potter, Weasley, and Miss Rosenwald are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, _hold your tongue._"

"But if — if there was a mistake —"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Black's face. Hermione fell silent.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Everyone looked surprised as Snape's wand launched out of his hand and Nathaniel caught it. Snape looked surprised as Nathaniel sighed. "You never did learn to grow up did you, still as spiteful and as childish as ever."

"Rosenwald, always so clever and yet never able to be truly loyal, always darting back and fourth between your beloved Dominique and your friends."

Skylar had never felt herself feel such angrier and her hand gripped her wand. She rose it and pointed but she wasn't the only one. Harry yelled _Expelliarmus_ at the same time she, Hermione and Ron did.

There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He had been knocked out.

"Skylar," Nathaniel sighed.

"My anger got the best of me." She mumbled.

"You shouldn't have done that," said Black, looking at Harry. "You should have left him to me…"

"Yeah, a windless criminal could have done so much through his pleading." Skylar returned.

Black looked at her for a moment. "I see you carry the fire of your mother."

"We attacked a teacher… We attacked a teacher…," Hermione whimpered, staring at the lifeless Snape with frightened eyes. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble —"

Remus was struggling against his bonds. Black bent down quickly and untied him. Remus straightened up, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them.

Nathaniel however had moved over to Snape and was surveying his position. "He seems alright." He sighed, almost as if disappointed.

"Thank you, Harry," Remus said.

"I'm still not saying I believe you," he told Remus.

"Then it's time we offered you some proof," said Remus. "You, boy — give me Peter, please. Now."

Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest.

"Come off it," he said weakly. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on _Scabbers_? I mean…" He looked up at Harry, Skylar and Hermione for support, "Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat — there are millions of rats — how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"

"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," said Remus, turning to Black and frowning slightly. Nathaniel was also looked at Sirius questioningly. "How _did _you find out where he was?" Black put one of his clawlike hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others.

It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the _Daily Prophet _the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

"A newspaper?" Nathaniel's forehead furrowed and he moved forwards to examine it, now with different eyes from the beginning of the year.

"How did you get this?" Remus asked Black, thunderstruck.

"Fudge," said Black. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper."

"He said he missed the crossword puzzle." Skylar nodded, remembering Fudge saying such words in the Three Broomsticks. Nathaniel's eyes widened and he tapped Remus beside him, gaining his attention and the werewolf also bent to look at the picture.

Sirius nodded. "And there was Peter, on the front page… on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts…to where Harry was…"

"My God," said Remus softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw…"

"The toe," Nathaniel nodded.

"Scabbers is missing a toe." Skylar said before she gapped and turned to Ron. "Pettigrew lost a finger!"

"Of course," Remus breathed. "So simple… so _brilliant__…_ he cut it off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," said Black. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself — and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…"

"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" said Remus. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."

"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right —"

"Twelve years, in fact," said Remus. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We — we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.

"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" said Remus. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…"

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed.

Skylar and Harry shared a look. No. They had found Crookshanks because they'd gone to a store to have Scabbers looked at, he had been looking terrible before they ever found Crookshanks. Scabbers had been bad since they returned from Egypt… when Sirius escaped.

"This cat isn't mad," said Black hoarsely. He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks's fluffy head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognised Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me… Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me…"

"What do you mean?" breathed Hermione.

"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't… so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me… As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table…"

Skylar hit herself in the forehead. "That's how he got them." She muttered to herself and Nathaniel rose an eyebrow. "I knew he was using the secret passageways into the school and Harry had seen the dog enough times around to know he was still on the grounds, I just had no idea how he'd have gotten hold of the passwords, he couldn't have come into the castle in hopes of miraculously stumbling upon an answer." She said.

"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it…" croaked Black. "This cat — Crookshanks, did you call him? — told me Peter had left blood on the sheets… I supposed he bit himself… Well, faking his own death had worked once…"

"And why did he fake his death?" Harry said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

"No," said Remus, "Harry —"

"And now you've come to finish him off!"

"Yes, I have," said Black, with an evil look at Scabbers. Skylar looked at her father who was frowning at his cousin.

"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry shouted.

"Harry," said Remus hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down — but it was the other way around, don't you see? _Peter _betrayed your mother and father — Sirius tracked _Peter _down —"

"Peter is the one who gave your parents over to Voldemort." Nathaniel nodded.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yelled. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"

He was pointing at Black, who shook his head slowly; the sunken eyes were suddenly overbright. Skylar moved over to Harry and took his hand in hers to try and calm him down. He didn't look very happy by her presence either, but he didn't run from her, or remove her grip.

"Harry… I as good as killed them," Sirius croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me… I'm to blame, I know it… The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies…. I realised what Peter must've done… what I'd done…"

His voice broke. He turned away.

"Enough of this," said Remus, and there was a steely note in his voice. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, _give me that rat._"

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked Remus tensely.

"Force him to show himself," said Remus. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."

Ron hesitated. Then at long last, he held out Scabbers and Remus took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head.

"Nathaniel?" He pointed his wand at the rat. "Ready, Sirius?" said Remus.

Black was handed Snape's wand by Nathaniel, before they all pointed their wands at the struggling rat, and Sirius' wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face.

"Together?" he said quietly.

"I think so," said Remus, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other.

"It's only fitting."

"On the count of three. One — two — THREE!"


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50:

A flash of blue-white light erupted from the wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small grey form twisting madly — Ron yelled — the rat fell and hit the floor. There was another blinding flash of light and then —

It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wriggling his hands. Crookshanks was spitting and snarling on the bed; the hair on his back was standing up.

He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, colourless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers' fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Harry saw his eyes dart to the door and back again.

"Well, hello, Peter," said Remus pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him. "Long time, no see."

"S — Sirius… R — Remus… N-Nate…" Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends… my old friends…"

"I must say Peter, you're not looking too good." Nathaniel said pointedly, his wand still tight in his hand and his eyes held a type of fire Skylar had never seen in them before.

Black's wand arm rose, but Remus seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning look, then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —"

"Remus," gasped Pettigrew. Beads of sweat were breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you…? Nate, he tried to kill me, Remus…"

"So we've heard," said Remus, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so —"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black. He used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too… You've got to help me, Remus, Nathaniel…"

Black's face looked more skull-like than ever as he stared at Pettigrew with his fathomless eyes.

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Remus, he cast Nathaniel a look as if telling him he also needed to be patient. Nathaniel's eyes were boring into Peter.

"Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" said Remus, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room.

"Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.

Pettigrew flinched as though Black had brandished a whip at him.

"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Black. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

"Don't know what you mean, Sirius —" muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now.

"You haven't been hiding from _me _for twelve years," said Black. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways… If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter —"

"Don't know… what you're talking about…," said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Remus. "You don't believe this — this madness, Remus… You can't, could you Nate —"

"Well, it is questioning why you'd hide with Sirius safely locked away." Nathaniel said casually.

"Yes. I must admit, Peter, I also have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Remus evenly.

"Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban — the spy, Sirius Black!"

Black's face contorted.

"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bear-sized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter — I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me, Nate, and Remus… and James…"

Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath. "Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a —"

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, and if not me, Nate, who would be able to send him to me anyway, even if he never would. No one would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you… It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

Pettigrew was muttering distractedly, constantly looking for an escape as he did.

"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione," said Remus courteously.

"Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

"There!" said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Ron with his maimed hand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?"

"I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…"

Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk.

"Er — Mr. Black — Sirius?" said Hermione.

Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her.

"If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"

"Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —"

"Shut up Peter." Nathaniel sighed as Remus shot the small man a look.

Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.

"I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions… They could tell that my feelings were less — less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand…

"But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realised he was at Hogwarts with Harry… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…"

Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Black as though hypnotised.

"… ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies… and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honours…

"So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive… It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the dementors couldn't destroy it… it wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog… It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused… I was thin, very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars… I swam as a dog back to the mainland… I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry…"

"Now it makes sense why you came and watched, I couldn't figure it out, why would you do that when you wanted him killed, you couldn't get him in the air." Skylar said.

Sirius nodded before he looked at Harry, who did not look away.

"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."

And at long last, Harry believed him. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.

"No!"

Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, grovelling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.

"Sirius — it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't…" Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.

"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Black.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Remus instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this… wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Remus. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, or Nate, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrew's head.

"Forgive me, Remus, Nate," said Black.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Remus, who was now rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing _you _were the spy?"

"Of course," said Black, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," said Remus grimly. "Sabre?"

"It seems fitting." Nathaniel agreed with a nod. Skylar looked at her father surprised, he couldn't kill his old friend.

"You wouldn't… you won't…," gasped Pettigrew. And he scrambled around to Ron. "Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?"

But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion. "I let you sleep in my _bed _!" he said.

"Kind boy… kind master…" Pettigrew crawled toward Ron, "you won't let them do it… I was your rat…I was a good pet…"

"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Black harshly. Ron, going still paler with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.

"Sweet girl… clever girl… you — you won't let them… Help me…"

Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified.

Peter turned to Skylar. "Skylar… Skylar, you — you wouldn't let them… your mother, always so kind…"

"And you took her best friend away." Skylar returned.

Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly toward Harry.

"Harry… Harry… you look just like your father… just like him…"

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" roared Black. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood, Harry… he would have shown me mercy…"

Both Black and Remus strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.

"James would never have understood you selling out your friends!" Nathaniel returned, pointing his wand at Peter.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Black, who was shaking too. "Do you deny it?"

Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.

"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Nate and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me —"

"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He — he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh — what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terribly fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"

"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

"Instead, we were worth nothing to you." Nathaniel said, glaring down at the man, Sirius and Remus stood on his either side, wands raised like him.

"You should have realised," said Remus quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."

Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall.

"Stop!" Skylar said, her eyes wide.

"NO!" Harry yelled at almost the same moment. He ran forward, placing himself in front of Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."

Nathaniel, Sirius and Remus looked staggered.

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," Harry panted.

"If you kill him, then you're no better than he is!" Skylar said moving to her dad's side. "You can't kill a person, no matter what they did!" She pleaded with him, she was scared by the expression she saw on her father's face. "And then you'll all go away, go to Azkaban." She looked at Remus and her father. "You'd leave me, and Leon, and Nick, and Harry." She pointed to him. "And Mum, hasn't she lost enough already?"

The three men shared a look as Skylar glanced back at Pettigrew. "He deserves it, but, you don't."

"Skylar's right." Harry said from beside her. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors… He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him."

"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees, Skylar stepped sideways to avoid him. "You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thank you —"

"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because — I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers — just for you."

No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Nathaniel looked from Peter to his daughter and she looked at him hopefully, pleading. He sighed and lowered his wand. She smiled at him and he nudged his friends on either side of him. Sirius and Remus were looking at each other, glancing at Nathaniel, before, with one movement, they lowered their wands.

"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," said Black. "But think… think what he did…"

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…"

Pettigrew was still wheezing behind him.

"Very well," said Remus. "Stand aside, Harry."

Harry hesitated.

"I'm going to tie him up," said Remus. "That's all, I swear." Harry stepped out of the way. Thin cords shot from Remus' wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.

"But if you transform, Peter," growled Black, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew too, "we _will _kill you. You agree, Harry?"

Harry looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor and nodded so that Pettigrew could see him.

"Right," said Remus, suddenly businesslike. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing."

He hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand, and muttered, "_Ferula._" Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.

"That's better," he said. "Thanks."

"What about Professor Snape?" said Hermione in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure.

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," said Remus, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. "You were just a little — overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er — perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can take him like this…"

He muttered, "_Mobilicorpus._" As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet. He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling.

"Sure we can't just leave him here? Maybe wipe his memory?" Skylar offered.

Nathaniel chuckled and smoothed her hair as if proud.

Remus picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket.

"And two of us should be chained to this," said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it," said Remus.

"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward.

Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Remus's right, right arm to Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers's true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room, his bottlebrush tail held jauntily high.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51:

Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Skylar and Nathaniel followed with Harry and Hermione bringing up the rear.

"Sky, you knew about Sirius Black being an animagus all year?" Hermione asked as they moved.

"Yes."

"And you knew how he was getting into the castle?"

"Yes."

"And you never told anyone? Not even Harry?"

"Actually, I did tell Harry." Skylar mumbled and Hermione looked surprised. Harry avoided her gaze guiltily. "Mum and dad and Remus refused to let me tell anyone. Nick and Leon knew too."

Hermione glared with disappointment at the girl but she avoided her gaze. She glanced at Nathaniel who gave her an encouraging look, he was proud of her.

Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Remus still had Pettigrew covered with his wand as they edged awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. Nathaniel followed the three carefully. Skylar hung back with Hermione as Harry went after Black, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling.

"You know what this means?" Black said abruptly to Harry as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes…," said Black. "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Harry.

"Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," said Sirius stiffly. "If anything happened to them…"

Harry said nothing but Skylar grinned. "You could go live with Sirius instead!" Harry glanced at her.

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Sirius. "But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…"

"What — live with you?" he said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Sirius quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd —"

"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Black's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Black turned right around to look at him; Snape's head was scraping the ceiling but Black didn't seem to care.

"You want to?" he said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry.

Black's gaunt face broke into the first true smile ever seen upon it since he'd been taken to Azkaban. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask.

"You could come round every day! You, me and Ron, we can use the floo network with you too!" Skylar grinned. "Mum would love that."

"Speaking of, I'm, well, I'm surprised she didn't take him in, instead of the muggles." Sirius admitted.

"Dumbledore wouldn't let her." Nathaniel called back.

"She was rather disappointed apparently." Skylar agreed.

They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Remus, Pettigrew, Ron and Nathaniel clambered upward without any sound of savaging branches.

Black saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Skylar, Harry and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.

The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering.

"One wrong move, Peter," said Remus threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then —

A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.

Snape collided with Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Nathaniel stopped Sirius, who also froze, Nathaniel taking a few steps back from the three.

Remus' silhouette had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake. Skylar gasped and she went to move forwards, worried and scared for Ron, but Nathaniel held her back.

"Oh, my —" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run," Black whispered. "Run. Now."

"Ron!" Skylar muttered, knowing to be quiet like Sirius did. Harry was on the same page as she was, and he leapt forward but Sirius caught him around the chest and threw him back.

"Dad! Dad, Ron!" Skylar gasped.

"Skylar, take your friends, now." He said to her seriously.

"Leave it to us — RUN!" Sirius demanded.

Skylar grabbed Hermione and Harry's hands, pulling on them as Nathaniel moved for the three chained together.

There was a terrible snarling noise. Remus' head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks's hair was on end again; he was backing away —

As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew, who Nathaniel hurried towards. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other —

Nathaniel had pulled his wand and blasted the chain between Pettigrew and Ron, separating them. Ron was unbalanced without the extra tether and Pettigrew dived for Remus' dropped wand. Ron tumbled one way as Pettigrew went the other. Nathaniel hurried forwards, his wand ready and his old friend turned to him with Remus' wand. Nathaniel instantly engaged with Pettigrew. A bang sounded and a stray blast hit Ron, who then toppled over and lay motionless on the ground. Another bang — Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Nathaniel's voice yelled through, managing to penetrate through Pettigrew's defences. Remus' wand flew high into the air and out of sight.

"Stay where you are!" Harry shouted, running forward towards the two. Pettigrew however had dived out of Nathaniel's aim and — too late. Pettigrew had transformed.

"Dad!" Skylar shrieked as her father vanished and the growl of a tiger shot through the air, the reddish-brown stripped animal shooting forwards, he seemed to charge after the rat, before he stopped. The rat seemed to vanish, the tail dashing out of sight. Sirius released a whine and the tiger turned before, with a savage growl, he darted forwards to join the fray.

"No!" Skylar shouted.

The fight was unfair now, the dog and tiger ganging up on the werewolf, and within a moment, there was a howl and a rumbling growl, the werewolf took flight; it was galloping into the forest — then the tiger, brushing against the large dog, took off after the werewolf.

"DAD! COME BACK!" Skylar shouted but he had vanished from view.

Sirius however was too injured to do so.

"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Harry yelled.

Black was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harry's words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.

Skylar, Harry and Hermione dashed over to Ron.

"What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered. Ron's eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didn't seem to recognise them.

"I don't know…"

"I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will be able to do something." Skylar frowned, she kept looking up and glancing around.

"Will your dad be alright?" Hermione asked.

"He can't leave Remus running around the school grounds alone, what if something happens?" Skylar admitted.

"But Pettigrew!" Harry said.

"I know," she frowned. But what could be done? Nathaniel had been one of the advocates for Remus' employment, he had to be responsible.

Harry looked desperately around. The three adults were gone, they had no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in midair.

"We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone," said Harry, pushing his hair out of his eyes, trying to think straight. "Come —"

But then, from beyond the range of their vision, they heard a yelping, a whining: a dog in pain…

"No…" Skylar whispered. She turned to the two and they were staring at her before she turned and hurried off after the sound. Her family had lost so much already, and Sirius didn't deserve any more pain, she'd felt what he'd gone through, no one deserved such. If her father wasn't there to look after his best friend, then she would do what she could to help. He needed her help.

Hermione and Harry watched her vanish and Hermione looked at Harry, who was struggling, he had to make a decision. Believing there was nothing they could do for Ron, Harry took off at a run after Skylar, Hermione right behind him.

Skylar felt the cold and began to freak out as she heard whining. She hurried until she reached the edge of the lake, the yelping had stopped and as she reached the edge of the lake she saw Sirius, on all floors on the ground. He was surrounded by at least a hundred dementors, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. Harry and Hermione reached her as she stared, scared as the cold and the darkness pressed in.

"_Nooo,_" he moaned. "_Noooo__… please…_"

"Harry!" She asked in a panic. Where was her father? They couldn't handle this!

The familiar, icy cold was penetrating her insides, fog starting to obscure her vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them…

"Skylar, Hermione, think of something happy!" Harry yelled, raising his wand.

_Something happy… _It was difficult with the dementors bringing out sadness and unhappy thoughts. She held her wand tightly anyway, raising it, she had to try!

"_Expecto_…" Skylar shook her head and closed her eyes trying to think of a happy memory. And then something flashed through her mind. "_Expecto Patronum_!" Silver burst from her wand and the dementors seemed to pause ever so slightly.

Harry was trying it as well.

Black gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death.

"_Expecto patronum_! Hermione, help me! _Expecto patronum_!" Harry demanded.

"_Expecto _—" Hermione whispered, "_expecto _— _expecto _—"

But she couldn't do it. The dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around Skylar, Harry and Hermione, and were getting closer…

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM_!" Harry yelled, "_EXPECTO PATRONUM_!"

A thin wisp of silver escaped his wand and hovered like mist before him with Skylar's, which was fading. At the same moment, Hermione collapsed from beside the two.

"Harry, Harry I…" Skylar felt the darkness pushing on her, she was loosing her energy, it wasn't working, she couldn't do it.

"_Expecto_ — Keep trying! _E__xpecto patronum_ —"

Fog was clouding her eyes now and she felt her knees hit the grass. Her breath seemed to be leaving her, she could hear Harry beside her as her hands hit the cold grass as well, her feeble silver mist vanishing.

Harry's knees hit the grass beside her. "Sky, sky you've got to… keep trying." He said but he was loosing consciousness just as much as she was. "_Expecto patronum_!" he gasped. Mist shot from his wand as he grabbed a fistful of Skylar's shirt, trying to help her stay upright and conscious, but her eyes were clouded with fog, her hearing was diminishing.

"I'm — I'm — sorry —" she breathed. "D—Dad…" she couldn't see, she head Harry gasping; "No — _no _— He's innocent… _expecto _— _expecto patronum _—"

She was hurtled into cold, frozen darkness, she was shaking, she was weak, she couldn't push against it, she couldn't fight it. She was falling… and then, there was something bright, the cold was ebbing away, the air was warming up again, a lightness seemed to spread over her, but she was exhausted, she couldn't bring herself out of it, she didn't have the energy. She felt something grab her arm and that was it before her consciousness left and she was thrown into the darkness.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52:

"Shocking business… shocking… miracle none of them died… never heard the like… by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…"

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there… Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Rosenwald, Weasley, and Granger, Minister…"

"_No_!"

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behaviour. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape… They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now… I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves… and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster —"

"Ah, well, Snape… Harry Potter, you know… we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned."

"And yet — is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended — at the very least — for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister — against all school rules — after all the precautions put in place for his protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer — and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too —"

"Well, well… we shall see, Snape, we shall see… The boy has undoubtedly been foolish…"

Skylar was irritated by her dream, what? They hadn't been confunded, she'd never been more angry at Snape. Her mind felt groggy, clouded, it took a moment before it was beginning to clear. Her body felt heavy, it didn't want to respond to her. Her brain began to process the words she'd heard, the conversation between Snape and the Minister… hadn't they been beside the lake? Snape must have gotten to them, had he saved them from the dementors? Where was her dad?

"What amazes me most is the behaviour of the dementors… you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister… by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances…"

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, Skylar, and the girl —"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

Bound and gagged…

Skylar was beginning to understand now, Snape had come too, hopefully he'd helped Ron, he'd found them… Sirius… the minister knew… they'd arrested Sirius!

Skylar suddenly opened her eyes and sprang upwards, the movement made her head spin and her eyes weren't working properly, she held her head, shaking it slightly and blinked several times before she was able to see properly.

She was in the Hospital wing, which was still dark, she mustn't have been out for very long. As her brain processed, she was focused on only one thing.

"Dad!" She gasped. Everyone turned in her direction, Madam Pomfrey was down one end of the Hospital Wing, bent over a bed where Ron's red hair was visible from just beyond her. Harry was in the bed beside her and Hermione was on his other side. Both Harry and Hermione were awake, though it seemed they hadn't been conscious much longer than she had been. Snape and the Minister weren't actually in the room, they were outside the Hospital Wing doors, which were cracked ajar.

Madam Pomfrey, seeing she was awake, now came walking briskly up the dark ward to the three of them. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate ever seen. It looked like a small boulder. She placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table.

"Awake I see," Madam Pomfrey had moved over to Skylar. "Lie back," she instructed, her hand on the girl's shoulder, forcing her backwards. The matron looked the girl over.

"My dad, where is he?" Skylar asked.

"I was unaware he was back at the castle," the matron confessed.

Skylar pursed her lips as Madam Pomfrey seemed happy with her state. She walked away from the girl and back to the chocolate bolder. As she did she looked at the boy and noticed he was awake also.

"Ah, you're awake!" she said briskly, beginning breaking apart the chocolate with a small hammer.

"How's Ron?" said Harry and Hermione together. Skylar felt momentarily guilty, looking over at the boy who seemed unconscious.

"He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you two… you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what do you think you're doing?"

Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand.

"I need to see the headmaster," he said.

"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now —"

"WHAT?"

Harry jumped up out of bed; Hermione had done the same.

"No!" Skylar said as she instantly got up as well.

Unfortunately, the shouts had been heard in the corridor outside; next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward.

"Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated. "You should be in bed — has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.

"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's —"

But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control…"

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry's side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and —"

"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, both of them… Black's done a very good job on them…"

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.

"Forget it Harry." Skylar said, glaring at Snape. "They'll never listen to stupid children like us." Her voice was filled with venom. "Our word is meaningless, we're childish and insignificant."

"Now, now," Fudge said awkwardly.

"My father would listen." She said simply. "Would you listen to him!? He saw it too!"

"And where is he?" Snape asked, grinning.

"He's looking after the werewolf problem, given you were unconscious and completely useless!"

"Detention Rosenwald."

"End of the term, _Professor._" She returned harshly.

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter and Rosenwald are my patients, and they should not be distressed!"

"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen —"

But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry's mouth; he choked, and she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed.

"Now, _please, _Minister, these children need care. Please leave —"

The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Harry swallowed his mouthful of chocolate with great difficulty and got up again.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black —"

"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist —"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss Rosenwald and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black —"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive —"

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" said Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear —"

"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"

"Now, Snape," said Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances —"

"I would like to speak to Harry, Skylar and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us."

"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey "They need treatment, they need rest —"

"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.

"The dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."

He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.

"I wish to speak to Harry, Skylar and Hermione alone," Dumbledore repeated.

Snape took a step toward Dumbledore.

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill _me_?"

"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.

Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Harry, Skylar and Hermione. The two both burst into speech at the same time as Skylar was looking at the Headmaster unsurely.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth — we _saw _Pettigrew —"

"— he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf —"

"— he's a rat —"

"— Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off —"

"— Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius —"

Dumbledore was looking at Skylar over his half-moon spectacles and she looked at him surprised. He gave her a nod before he turned to the other two and interrupted them, ending their flood of explanations by holding up his hand.

"It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word — and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."

"Professor Lupin can tell you —" Harry said, unable to stop himself.

"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little — and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends — That is also why Nathaniel's word may not be kept, nor his eye witness and if he insists too much he may be believed to be in league with Sirius —" he glanced at Skylar and she frowned.

"But —"

"_Listen to me, Harry. _It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."

"He hates Sirius," Hermione said desperately. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him —"

"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady — entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife — without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence."

"_But you believe us._"

"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic…"

So there seemed nothing they could do, except that there was something, Skylar could see it in the Headmaster's expression.

"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione, "is more _time._"

Skylar's eyes widened as Dumbledore turned to her as well.

"But —" Hermione began. Skylar nudged her and Hermione looked at her, back to the headmaster before her eyes became very round. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. Skylar gave him her complete attention and so did Hermione, Harry meanwhile looked confused. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, all of you: _you must not be seen. _Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake… _You _— _must _— _not _— _be _— _seen._"

Hermione and Skylar nodded, turning to one another. They could do it, Skylar believed that. Hermione was slightly unsure and Harry, Harry didn't have a clue what was going on. Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.

"I am going to lock you in. It is —" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"

But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain.

"Harry, come here," she said urgently. "_Quick_!" She was looping the chain around Skylar, the tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it as Harry moved towards them.

"Here —"

She had thrown the chain around his neck too.

"Ready?" she said breathlessly.

"What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost.

Hermione turned the hourglass over three times.

The dark ward dissolved. There was the sensation of flying very fast, backward. A blur of colours and shapes rushed past them, there was a pounding in their ears, and then there was solid ground beneath their feet, and everything came into focus again —


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53:

Skylar, Harry and Hermione were standing in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors.

"Wow," Skylar whispered at the sensation. She turned to Hermione. "How do you do that all the time?" Hermione didn't answer as Harry was looking wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into his neck.

"Hermione, what — ?"

"In here!" Hermione seized Harry's arm and dragged him across the hall to the door of a broom closet; Skylar hurrying with them as she opened it, pushed him inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind her and Skylar.

"What — how — Hermione, what happened?"

"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Harry and Skylar's neck in the darkness. "Three hours back…"

"But —"

"Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think — I think it might be us!"

Skylar looked down at her watch. "It's about the right time." She nodded, keeping her voice down.

Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door and Skylar was listening too, it seemed silent outside.

"Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"

"Are you telling me," Harry whispered, "that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?"

"Yes," said Hermione, her ear still glued to the cupboard door. "I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than four people… and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak —"

She broke off, still listening intently.

"We've gone down the front steps…"

Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Harry wanted a few questions answered. Skylar took her place leaning on the door, listening.

"Where did you _get _that hourglass thing?"

"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies… I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see? But…

"Harry, _I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. _Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?"

Harry stared at her shadowy face.

"There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change," he said slowly. "What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago…"

"This _is _three hours ago, and we _are _walking down to Hagrid's," said Hermione. "We just heard ourselves leaving…"

Skylar blinked, they went to Hagrid's, because of Buckbeak.

She gapped. "Buckbeak!" She said, turning to the other two. "We were going to Hagrid's because Buckbeak was going to be executed! We've got to save Buckbeak!"

Harry blinked. "Dumbledore said — said we could save more than one innocent life…" He nodded as he understood as well. "Hermione, we're going to save Buckbeak!"

"But — how will that help Sirius?"

"Dumbledore said — he just told us where the window is — the window of Flitwick's office! Where they've got Sirius locked up! We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! Sirius can escape on Buckbeak — they can escape together!"

Hermione's face looked terrified.

"If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!"

"We can do it." Skylar believed.

"We've got to try, haven't we?" said Harry. He stood up beside Skylar and pressed his ear against the door. "Doesn't sound like anyone's there… Come on, let's go…"

Harry pushed open the closet door. The entrance hall was deserted. As quietly and quickly as they could, they darted out of the closet and down the stone steps. The shadows were already lengthening, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest gilded once more with gold.

"If anyone's looking out of the window —" Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them.

"We'll run for it," said Harry determinedly.

"Don't worry Hermione, for the moment our first selves are covered in the cloak, even if we are seen, they'll at least only see one of us." Skylar shrugged.

"Skylar! We cannot be seen!" Hermione said seriously.

Skylar chose not to respond. Harry glanced between them before he nudged Skylar and turned to Hermione.

"Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout —"

"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses!" said Hermione breathlessly. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!" She shot Skylar a look and the girl held her hands up innocently, not arguing that fact.

Harry went first, setting off at a sprint with the two girls hurrying after him. They tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as they could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing toward the shelter of the forest…

Safe in the shadows of the trees, Harry turned around; Skylar tore up before him, straight at him, looking slightly worried at how she was going to stop. Harry reached out and grabbed her around the waist, bringing her to a stop as she grabbed his shoulders before she could crash into him. She grinned at him as he blushed and released her, before they both turned for, seconds later, Hermione to arrive beside them, panting.

"Right," she gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's… Keep out of sight, Harry…"

They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. They moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and, Harry on one side and the girls on the other, they peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And Harry's voice sounded.

"It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered. He stood back, then shut the door quickly.

"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry said fervently.

"So far." Skylar added.

"Let's move along a bit," Hermione whispered. "We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"

They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid's pumpkin patch.

"Now?" Harry whispered.

"No!" said Hermione. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"

"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," said Harry. This was starting to seem impossible.

"You got a better idea?" Skylar mumbled.

At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid's cabin.

"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment —"

Sure enough, a few minutes later, they heard Hermione's shriek of surprise.

"Hermione," said Harry suddenly, "what if we — we just run in there and grab Pettigrew —"

"Are you mad?!" Skylar whispered.

"No!" said Hermione in a terrified whisper. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen —"

"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!"

"Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" said Hermione.

"I'd — I'd think I'd gone mad," said Harry, "or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on —"

"_Exactly_! You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"

"Okay!" said Harry. "It was just an idea, I just thought —"

"Harry, I know what Pettigrew did, and what it means if he gets away, especially as the Minister wont listen to us, but, I don't know if we can save Buckbeak and Sirius, and catch Pettigrew." Skylar said, frowning. "I don't think we can manage all that. Remember, we have to avoid Remus as a werewolf later, and all the dementors…" she frowned. Harry looked at her before dropping his gaze, knowing she was right. Hermione was looking at Skylar with worry, believing more and more that this was a bad idea. She then paused as she looked up, noticing several figures coming from the castle. She nudged Harry and pointed, the movement catching Skylar's attention too.

Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner were coming down the steps.

"We're about to come out!" Hermione breathed.

And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened, and they saw themselves with Ron, walking out of it with Hagrid. Skylar stared at herself mystified, it was such a strange sensation seeing herself like this. She watched herself look up, confusion etched on her face and Skylar remembered. She knew she'd heard something, and she'd been so surprised when she'd thought she'd heard herself. It made sense now. Except that her past self was about to figure out they were there. Skylar pulled Harry and Hermione behind the tree suddenly.

"What?" Harry whispered at her.

"Shh, I'm listening." She said. "Don't look at me, don't let me hear your mind."

"How do we stop that?" Harry looked confused.

"Clear your mind and calm your emotions."

Harry looked confused as Skylar slammed her occlumency into gear, she couldn't have herself hearing her thoughts, if only she could do the same with Harry and Hermione. She just hoped her past-self would be too distracted.

"It's okay, Beaky, it's okay…," Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on. Get goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't —"

"We'll tell them what really happened —"

"They can't kill him —"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

The Hermione in the pumpkin patch throw the Invisibility Cloak over the Harry, Skylar and Ron with her.

"Go quick. Don' listen…"

There was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. Harry, Skylar and Hermione, very carefully, watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard four pairs of feet retreating. Harry, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione had gone… but the Harry, Skylar and Hermione hidden in the trees could now hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door.

"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.

"Out — outside," Hagrid croaked.

All three ducked out of sight as Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge. "We — er — have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's procedure —" Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never. "Wait here," Harry whispered to Hermione. "I'll do it."

"Be careful." Skylar warned, looking at the window.

As Fudge's voice started again, Harry darted out from behind his tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak.

"_It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown —_"

Careful not to blink, Harry stared up into Buckbeak's fierce orange eyes once more and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Harry began to fumble with the knot of rope tying Buckbeak to the fence.

"…_sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair_…"

"Come on, Buckbeak," Harry murmured, "come on, we're going to help you. Quietly… quietly…"

"… _as witnessed below. _Hagrid, you sign here…"

Harry threw all his weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet. Skylar grit her teeth, while Hermione was staring at the window with fear.

"Well, let's get this over with," said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside —"

"No, I — I wan' ter be with him… I don' wan' him ter be alone —"

Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.

"_Buckbeak, move_!" Harry hissed.

Harry tugged harder on the rope around Buckbeak's neck. The hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid's back door. "One moment, please, Macnair," came Dumbledore's voice. "You need to sign too." The footsteps stopped. Harry heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster. Hermione's white face was sticking out from behind a tree. "Harry, hurry!" she mouthed.

Dumbledore's voice was still talking from within the cabin, Skylar hurried out, grabbing the rope, and helped him heave on it, both giving the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees…

"Quick! Quick!" Hermione moaned, darting out from behind her tree, seizing the rope too and adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster. Harry looked over his shoulder; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn't see Hagrid's garden at all.

"Stop!" he whispered to Hermione and Skylar. "They might hear us —"

Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Harry, Skylar, Hermione, and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the hippogriff seemed to be listening intently.

Silence… then —

"Where is it?" said the reedy voice of the Committee member. "Where is the beast?"

"It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I saw it! Just here!"

"How extraordinary," said Dumbledore. There was a note of amusement in his voice, Skylar couldn't help but be amused by his tone of voice, like he knew exactly what had happened.

"Beaky!" said Hagrid huskily.

There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.

"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's _gone_! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"

Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Harry, Skylar and Hermione tightened their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him.

"Someone untied him!" the executioner was snarling. "We should search the grounds, the forest —"

"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" said Dumbledore, still sounding amused. "Search the skies, if you will… Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."

"O' — o' course, Professor," said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. "Come in, come in…"

Skylar, Harry and Hermione listened closely. They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.

"That was… wow…" Skylar mumbled. That could have been disastrous.

"Now what?" whispered Harry, looking around.

"We'll have to hide in here," said Hermione, who looked very shaken. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours… Oh, this is going to be difficult…"

She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the forest. The sun was setting now.

"We're going to have to move," said Harry, thinking hard. "We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."

"Okay," said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. "But we've got to keep out of sight, Harry, remember…"

They moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow.

"There's Ron!" said Harry suddenly.

A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air.

"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come _here _—"

And then they saw two more figures materialise out of nowhere. Harry watched himself and Hermione chasing after Ron. Then he saw Ron dive. Skylar joined them, having been behind them all.

"_Gotcha_! Get off, you stinking cat —"

"There's Sirius!" said Harry. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow, Skylar screaming as she saw him first. They saw him bowl Harry over, then seize Ron…

"Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" said Harry, watching the dog pulling Ron into the roots. "Ouch — look, I just got walloped by the tree — and so did you two — this is _weird _—"

The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; they could see themselves darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. And then the tree froze.

"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," said Hermione.

"And there we go…," Harry muttered. "We're in."

The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, they heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle.

"Right after we'd gone down into the passage!" said Hermione. "If _only _Dumbledore had come with us…"

"Macnair and Fudge would've come too," said Harry bitterly. "I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot…"

"We'd have never found out about Pettigrew either." Skylar added. "And we might have even let Macnair do it."

They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then —

"Here comes Lupin and your dad!" said Harry as they saw another two figures sprinting down the stone steps and heading toward the Willow. Harry looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely.

They watched Remus seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Nathaniel hurried for the tree before he and then Remus, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots.

"If he'd only grabbed the cloak," said Harry. "It's just lying there…"

He turned to Hermione.

"If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and —"

"Harry, we mustn't be seen!"

"How can you stand this?" He asked Hermione fiercely. "Just standing here and watching it happen?" He hesitated. "I'm going to grab the cloak!"

"Harry, _no_!"

Hermione seized the back of Harry's robes not a moment too soon. Just then, they heard a burst of song. It was Hagrid, making his way up to the castle, singing at the top of his voice, and weaving slightly as he walked. A large bottle was swinging from his hands.

"_See_?" Hermione whispered. "_See what would have happened_? We've got to keep out of sight! _No, Buckbeak_!"

The hippogriff was making frantic attempts to get to Hagrid again; Harry seized his rope too, straining to hold Buckbeak back. Skylar turned and the hippogriff stopped struggling. They watched Hagrid meander tipsily up to the castle. He was gone. The auburn-haired girl then turned to Harry.

"Harry, despite Pettigrew getting away, tonight ended up, alright, as things could have gone. If you go and take the cloak, things could just, end up so much worse. Don't change the future." She warned.

Harry looked at her before he cast his gaze elsewhere.

Barely two minutes later, the castle doors flew open yet again, and Snape came charging out of them, running toward the Willow.

Harry's fists clenched as they watched Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the cloak and held it up.

"Get your filthy hands off it," Harry snarled under his breath.

"Shh!"

Snape seized the branch Remus had used to freeze the tree, prodded the knot, and vanished from view as he put on the cloak.

"So that's it," said Hermione quietly. "We're all down there… and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again…" She took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it securely around the nearest tree, then sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees.

Skylar sank to slide down a tree trunk and sit on the ground.

"Harry, there's something I don't understand… Why didn't the dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out… there were so many of them…"

"I remember the cold beginning to diminish, things began to warm up…" Skylar mumbled thinking. "The dementors were clearly running away or leaving but…"

Harry sat down too. "Something chased them away, I tried to cast the patronus but there were so many dementors… The nearest dementor to me, when the charm failed, it lowered its head and lowered its mouth towards mine, before this large silver something came galloping across the lake and forced the dementors to retreat."

Skylar looked surprised while Hermione's mouth was slightly open.

"But what was it?"

"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the dementors go," said Harry. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."

"But who conjured it?"

"Could have been my dad, but if it was, he'd have taken us all up to the castle, not Snape." Skylar said.

Harry was quiet though. Skylar turned to him and as he thought about the occurrence. He'd seen someone across the lake, through his hazy vision.

"Harry," she prompted. He turned to her but didn't speak as Hermione was still excited at the idea of someone producing such an impressive spell.

"Didn't you see what they looked like?" said Hermione eagerly. "Was it one of the teachers?"

"No," said Harry. "He wasn't a teacher."

"He?" Skylar asked, her eyebrow raised.

"But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those dementors away…If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see — ?"

"Yeah, I saw him," said Harry slowly. "But… maybe I imagined it… I wasn't thinking straight… I passed out right afterward…"

Skylar took his hand in hers and smiled at him as he turned to her. He could tell them, no matter what he thought.

"Who did you think it was?" She asked softly, interrupting Hermione.

"I think —" Harry swallowed. "I think it was my dad."

Skylar blinked before she took a deep breath. Hermione however had her mouth fully open now. She was gazing at him with a mixture of alarm and pity.

"Harry, your dad's — well — _dead,_" she said quietly.

"I know that," said Harry quickly.

"You think you saw his ghost?"

"I don't know… no… he looked solid…"

"But then —"

"Maybe I was seeing things," said Harry. "But… from what I could see… it looked like him… I've got photos of him…" Hermione was still looking at him as though worried about his sanity.

He turned to Skylar, she was looking thoughtful.

"I know it sounds crazy," said Harry flatly.

She turned and smiled at him. "It's not crazy." She assured. Hermione gave her a look and she shot one back, telling her to stay quiet as Harry turned to look at Buckbeak, who was digging his beak into the ground, apparently searching for worms.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54:

The leaves overhead rustled faintly in the breeze. The moon drifted in and out of sight behind the shifting clouds. Hermione sat with her face turned toward the Willow, waiting, Skylar was staring at the clouds, dreading the bright orb that hovered behind them.

And then, at last, after over an hour…

"Here we come!" Hermione whispered.

She, Skylar and Harry got to their feet. Buckbeak raised his head. They saw Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots… followed by Nathaniel, the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upward. Next came Harry, Hermione, Skylar, and Sirius. They all began to walk toward the castle.

Skylar was frowning as they waited, any moment now, that cloud was going to move aside and show the moon.

"Harry," Hermione muttered, "we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do…"

"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again…" said Harry quietly.

"If we want to save Sirius, we're going to have to." Skylar frowned. "You've got to pick one Harry," Harry looked irritated as he turned away from the two girls.

"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?" snapped Hermione. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius; we're not supposed to be doing anything else!"

"_All right!_"

The moon slid out from behind its cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then they saw movement —

"There goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming —"

"Hermione!" said Harry suddenly. "We've got to move!"

"We mustn't, I keep telling you —"

"Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!"

"And my dad with him!" Skylar gapped.

Hermione gasped.

"Quick!" she moaned, dashing to untie Buckbeak. "Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The dementors will be coming any moment —"

"Back to Hagrid's!" Harry said. "It's empty now — come on!"

They ran as fast as they could, Buckbeak cantering along behind them. They could hear the werewolf howling behind them…

The cabin was in sight; Harry skidded to the door, wrenched it open, and Skylar, Hermione and Buckbeak flashed past him; Harry threw himself in after them and bolted the door. Fang the boarhound barked loudly.

"Shh, Fang, it's us!" said Hermione, hurrying over and scratching his ears to quieten him. "That was really close!" she said to Harry.

"Yeah…"

Harry was looking out of the window. It was much harder to see what was going on from here. Buckbeak seemed very happy to find himself back inside Hagrid's house. He lay down in front of the fire, folded his wings contentedly, and seemed ready for a good nap.

"I think I'd better go outside again, you know," said Harry slowly. "I can't see what's going on — we won't know when it's time —"

Hermione looked up. Her expression was suspicious.

"I'm not going to try and interfere," said Harry quickly. "But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?"

"Well… okay, then… You two go, I'll wait here with Buckbeak… but Sky, Harry, be careful — there's a werewolf out there — and the dementors —"

"I can handle Remus," Skylar believed. "And someone's going to show up and do something to the dementors, we should be alright." Harry nodded before he opened the door, they gave Hermione a look before stepping outside.

Harry went first, edging around the cabin. In the distance they could hear yelping. That meant the dementors were closing in on Sirius… Harry, Skylar and Hermione would be running to him any moment…

"Come on." Skylar whispered and she began to move across the edge of the lake, crouched low to the ground. Harry glanced back at Hagrid's cabin where Hermione was before he followed.

"Hermione said we can't interfere and we can't be seen."

"I know." She returned. "But I have a feeling and I want to double check it."

"What feeling?"

"I'll tell you later."

They continued to creep around the lake before the dementors were appearing. They were emerging out of the darkness from every direction, gliding around the edges of the lake… They were moving away from where Skylar and Harry stood, to the opposite bank…

Harry turned to Skylar and she turned to him too. She knew what he wanted, he wanted to see if he was right, he wanted to know what he'd seen. He wanted to see his dad.

There was a moment before Skylar took Harry's hand and she pulled him with her. Harry was momentarily surprised before he ran with her. They both began to run towards the lake's edge, but there was no one there yet. On the opposite bank, they could see tiny glimmers of silver — Skylar and Harry's own attempts at a Patronus —

There was a bush at the very edge of the water. Harry pulled on Skylar's arm and they dived behind it, peering desperately through the leaves. On the opposite bank, the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished.

"Sky… what if it is him?"

"What would you say?" She wondered.

Harry was silent as they watched, no one was coming. Harry didn't know what he'd say, he didn't even know if it was possible.

"Sky, what if I didn't see him?"

"What else could it be?" He looked at her and noticed a look of amusement in her face as she was smiling at him, His forehead furrowed slightly at the look, it wasn't what he'd been expecting. He thought she'd be sympathetic, or show pity like Hermione, but then, Skylar had always acted how he needed her too, she always acted differently from Ron and Hermione. A bonus that came from her gift, knowing what he was thinking and feeling.

"What do you think I saw?" He wondered, worried as one of the Dementors was lowering its hood. It was time for the rescuer to appear — but no one was coming to help this time —

"I think you saw yourself." Skylar confessed.

Harry looked at her surprised and she turned to smile at him. Harry paused for a moment before he suddenly flung himself out from behind the bush and pulled his wand out. Skylar stood up as Harry bellowed.

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_"

And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. It looked like a horse, but the large antlers on top told Skylar it was not. It was galloping silently away from them, across the black surface of the lake. It lowered its head and charge at the swarming dementors… Now it was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness… They were gone.

Skylar moved towards Harry as the Patronus turned. It was cantering back toward Harry across the still surface of the water. It was easier to make out now and it was a stag. It was shining brightly as the moon above… it was coming back to him…

It stopped on the bank. Its hooves made no mark on the soft ground as it stared at Harry with its large, silver eyes. Slowly, it bowed its antlered head.

"_Prongs_," he whispered. He looked at Skylar and she smiled, looking proud with her eyes alight. Harry's trembling fingertips stretched toward the creature, just as it vanished.

Harry stood there, hand still outstretched. He turned to Skylar and she gave him a side hug. "Well done."

Suddenly, they turned as they heard hooves behind them. Hermione was dashing toward them, dragging Buckbeak behind her.

"_What did you do_?" she said fiercely. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout!"

"He was incredible!" Skylar grinned.

"I just saved all our lives…," said Harry. "Get behind here — behind this bush — I'll explain."

Hermione listened to what had just happened with her mouth open yet again.

"Did anyone see you?"

"Yes, haven't you been listening? _I _saw me but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"

"Harry, I can't believe it… You conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those dementors! That's very, _very _advanced magic…"

"It's so impressive!" Skylar grinned.

"I knew I could do it this time," said Harry, "because I'd already done it… Does that make sense?"

"I don't know — Harry, look at Snape!"

Together they peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of Harry, Skylar, Hermione, and Black onto them. A fifth stretcher, no doubt bearing Ron, was already floating at his side. Then, wand held out in front of him, he moved them away toward the castle.

"Does anyone know how long we were unconscious for?" Skylar wondered.

"Not long." Hermione assured. "It'll nearly time," she looked at her watch tensely. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realises we're missing…"

"Well someone's got to collect the Dementors to go to Sirius so," Skylar believed.

They waited, watching the moving clouds reflected in the lake, while the bush next to them whispered in the breeze. Buckbeak, bored, was ferreting for worms again.

"D' you reckon he's up there yet?" said Harry, checking his watch. He looked up at the castle and began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower.

"Look!" Hermione whispered. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!"

Harry and Skylar peered through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, toward one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt.

"Macnair!" said Harry. "The executioner! He's gone to get the dementors! This is it, Hermione —"

"Oh… we have to fly on Buckbeak don't we…" Skylar realised unsurely. Hermione looked unsure.

"It's alright." Harry shrugged.

"Right." Skylar grumbled, knowing he was lying.

Neither of them confessed this to Hermione as Harry gave her a leg up onto Buckbeak's back. He did the same with Skylar, who sat behind Hermione. Then he placed his foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of Hermione. Harry pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins.

"Ready?" he whispered to Hermione. "You'd better hold on to me —" Hermione gripped Harry and Skylar griped Hermione, both girls slightly nervous. Unlike Harry, they'd never sat on a hippogriff's back before.

He nudged Buckbeak's sides with his heels.

Buckbeak soared straight into the dark air. Skylar's body tensed up, gripping with her knees, it wasn't like flying a broom at all, the wings beating on either side of them made it feel like there were being thrown upwards only to fall down again. Hermione buried her head into Harry's back as she gripped him tightly.

"Oh, no — I don't like this — oh, I _really _don't like this —" she was muttering to herself.

Harry urged Buckbeak forward. They were gliding quietly toward the upper floors of the castle… Harry pulled hard on the left-hand side of the rope, and Buckbeak turned. Skylar was looking at the windows, trying to count so that they got the right one.

"It's that one!" She pointed.

"Whoa!" Harry said, pulling backward as hard as he could on the reins.

Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as the hippogriff beat his wings to remain airborne.

"He's there!" Harry said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. He reached out, and as Buckbeak's wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass.

Black looked up and his jaw dropped. He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.

"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of Harry's robes with her left hand.

"_Alohomora_!"

The window sprang open.

"How — how — ?" said Black weakly, staring at the hippogriff.

"Long story." Skylar admitted, glancing into the room and at the locked door.

"Get on — there's not much time," said Harry, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady. "You've got to get out of here — the dementors are coming — Macnair's gone to get them."

Black placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. Skylar held a hand out to help Sirius towards them and in seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the hippogriff behind Skylar.

"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" said Harry, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower — come on!"

The hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements, and Harry, Skylar and Hermione slid off him at once.

"Sirius, you'd better go, quick," Harry panted. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."

"We might not be able to save you a second time." Skylar confessed.

Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head.

"What happened to the other boy? Ron?" croaked Sirius.

"He's going to be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better. Quick — go —"

But Black was still staring down at Harry.

"How can I ever thank —"

"GO!" Harry, Skylar and Hermione shouted together.

"My father will kill me if I fail and you get caught!" Skylar snapped at him.

Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.

"We'll see each other again," he said. "You are — truly your father's son, Harry…"

He squeezed Buckbeak's sides with his heels. Skylar, Harry and Hermione jumped back as the enormous wings rose once more… The hippogriff took off into the air… He and his rider became smaller and smaller as they gazed after them… then a cloud drifted across the moon… They were gone.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55:

"Harry!" Hermione was tugging at his sleeve, staring at her watch. "We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us — before Dumbledore locks the door —"

"We've done our part, if we want it to work we have to get back." Skylar agreed. "We have to be locked in so we can't get blamed."

"Okay," said Harry, wrenching his gaze from the sky, "let's go…"

They slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiralling stone staircase. As they reached the bottom of it, they heard voices. They flattened themselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase.

"… only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties," Snape was saying. "The Kiss will be performed immediately?"

"As soon as Macnair returns with the dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the _Daily Prophet _that we've got him at last… I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape… and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the _Prophet _exactly how you saved him…"

Snape and Fudge passed Harry, Skylar and Hermione's hiding place before their footsteps died away.

"He's confident." Skylar breathed, there was smirk on her lips. Too bad they were about to find Sirius gone.

The three waited a few moments to make sure they'd really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor — then they heard a cackling ahead.

"_Peeves_!" Harry muttered, grabbing Hermione's wrist. "In here!" Skylar hurried after them as they tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off.

"Oh, he's horrible," whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. "I bet he's all excited because the dementors are going to finish off Sirius…" She checked her watch. "Three minutes, Harry!"

They waited until Peeves's gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.

"Hermione — what'll happen — if we don't get back inside — before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry panted.

"I don't want to think about it!" Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. "One minute!"

"We'll be caught outside the door and then probably be in trouble for setting Sirius free." Skylar said.

Harry and Hermione looked at her worried as she looked rather irritated by the idea.

Finally, they reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance.

"Okay — I can hear Dumbledore," said Hermione tensely. "Come on, Harry!"

They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared.

"I am going to lock you in," they heard him saying. "It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Harry, Skylar and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver moustache. "Well?" he said quietly.

"We did it!" said Harry breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak…"

"And no one saw us." Skylar added with a nod. "Well besides Sirius."

Dumbledore beamed at them.

"Well done. I think —" He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. "Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in —"

Harry, Skylar and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, Harry, Skylar and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.

"Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?"

She was in a very bad mood. Harry, Skylar and Hermione shared a look, all thinking it best to accept their chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. Skylar hardly noticed how much she was eating, she was looking at the ceiling, her, Harry and Hermione were waiting, listening, their nerves jangling… And then, as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them…

"What was that?" said Madam Pomfrey in alarm.

Skylar glanced at Harry and Hermione, trying to keep the smile off her expression as she began to chomp on the chocolate to hide it.

Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door.

"Really — they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"

Harry was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer —

"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out —"

"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE _OR _DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS — HAS — SOMETHING — TO — DO — WITH — POTTER!"

"Severus — be reasonable — Harry has been locked up —" BAM.

The door of the hospital wing burst open.

Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward.

Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself.

"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Professor Snape!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey. "Control yourself!"

Skylar plastered a look of alarm on her expression, indeed Snape's reaction was slightly more surprising than she expected.

"See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked, we just saw —"

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at Harry, Skylar and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.

"Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT —"

"That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not!" said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. "I would have heard them!"

"Well, there you have it, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that Harry, Skylar, and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."

Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behaviour, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.

"Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."

"Oh, he's not unbalanced," said Dumbledore quietly. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."

"He's not the only one!" puffed Fudge. "The _Daily Prophet__'s _going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well… I'd better go and notify the Ministry…"

"And the dementors?" said Dumbledore. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"

"Oh yes, they'll have to go," said Fudge, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy… Completely out of control… no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight… Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance…"

"Hagrid would like that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry, Skylar and Hermione. As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office.

Skylar started snickering. "Oh wow, I've never seen Snape so unhinged. He's always so straight faced. My dad would have loved to see him freak out like that."

Harry couldn't help but smirk slightly himself.

There was a low moan from the other end of the ward. They three turned and Ron had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around.

"What — what happened?" he groaned. "Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other before turning to Skylar. She paused in licking chocolate off her fingers.

"You explain," said Harry, helping himself to some more chocolate.

Skylar smiled before she got up from her bed and moved over to Ron's. He looked at her confused as she turned to him. "So, we kind of broke Sirius out of jail."

Skylar, Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, only to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. Neither Ron nor Hermione felt like going, however.

"What about you Sky?" Hermione asked.

"I'd rather spend time with you guys." She shrugged.

So they and Harry wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, Harry lost the thread of the conversation as he looked across to the opposite bank. The stag had galloped toward him from there just last night…

A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them.

"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night," he said. "I mean, Black escapin' again, an' everythin' — but guess what?"

"What?" they said, pretending to look curious.

"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!"

"That's wonderful!" said Hermione, giving Ron a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing.

"Yeah… can't've tied him up properly," said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. "I was worried this mornin', mind… thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night…"

Skylar's mouth dropped open. "I'm sorry?"

"What?" said Harry quickly.

"Blimey, haven' yeh heard?" said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. "Er — Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'… Thought everyone'd know by now… Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose on the grounds las' night… He's packin' now, o' course."

Skylar jumped to her feet and was suddenly running across the ground so quickly everyone blinked after her.

"He's _packing_?" said Harry, alarmed. "Why?"

"Leavin', isn' he?" said Hagrid, looking surprised that Harry had to ask. "Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin' again."

Harry scrambled to his feet.

"I'm going to see him," he said to Ron and Hermione.

"But if he's resigned —"

"— doesn't sound like there's anything we can do —"

"I don't care. I still want to see him. I'll meet you back here."

And he ran after Skylar.

The office door was open and Skylar ran straight through and flung her arms around Remus' middle. He wasn't surprised to see her, the Marauder's Map was open on the desk. He wasn't the only one in the room, Nathaniel was there as well, helping him pack.

"You can't leave!" She said frowning as she released him.

He had already packed most of his things. The grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full.

"I'm afraid it's for the best, Sky." He said.

She frowned and looked at her father. "Dad!"

"Remus has resigned, Skylar, there's nothing we can do." He said.

Remus placed a hand on her head before turning back to his desk. Footsteps sounded and she turned before Harry entered the room. Remus and Nathaniel looked up at him before Remus pointed at the desk where the map sat.

"I saw you coming," he said, smiling.

"We just saw Hagrid." He confessed, glancing at Skylar. The disappointment in her face was very obvious. "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"

"I'm afraid it is," said Remus. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.

"_Why_?" said Harry. "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?" He looked at Nathaniel as well.

Remus crossed to the door and closed it behind Harry.

"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that Nathaniel and I were trying to save your lives." He sighed. "Easier to convince Nathaniel's good deeds even with Severus' statement of otherwise. That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he — er — _accidentally _let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."

"It was not an accident." Skylar grumbled, crossing her arms angrily.

"You're not leaving just because of that!" said Harry.

Remus smiled wryly.

"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents… They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you… That must never happen again."

"It wouldn't have happened if we hadn't run off after Sirius." Skylar complained. "If you'd been here it would have been fine."

"You can't change that fact Sky, time travel or not." Nathaniel said with an amused look on his face.

"But dad—!"

"We can't change people's opinions Sky, unfortunately they're not as fond of werewolves as you might be."

"You're the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" said Harry.

Skylar pointed at Harry. "Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Don't go!" Harry continued.

Remus shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, he spoke, "From what the headmaster told Nate and I this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harry. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned… Tell me about your Patronus."

"How d'you know about that?" said Harry, distracted.

"What else could have driven the dementors back?"

Harry told Remus what had happened. When he'd finished, Nathaniel and Remus were smiling again.

"Your father was always a stag when he transformed," he said. "That's why we called him Prongs." Remus threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry.

"Here — I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night," he said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. "And…" He hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map too. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it."

"If anyone should have it." Nathaniel smiled.

"You're not mad at Nick and the twins for stealing it from Filch are you?" Skylar asked her father carefully.

"I think it made its way to the right hands." Nathaniel assured her.

Harry looked between the two men before he took the map and grinned.

"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Sabre, Padfoot, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school… you said they'd have thought it was funny."

Nathaniel started laughing.

"And so we would have," said Remus, smiling at his old friend before he reached down to close his case. "I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle."

"I know I would have been." Nathaniel nodded.

There was a knock on the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket.

It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Harry or Skylar there, let alone Nathaniel.

"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.

"Thank you, Headmaster."

Remus picked up his old suitcase and the empty grindylow tank. "Well — good-bye, Harry," he said, smiling. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage…"

Harry had the impression that Remus wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Despite this he moved over to Skylar and bent to kiss her forehead. "I promise to see you soon."

"You owe Leon and Nick an explanation." She said. He smiled at her and nodded.

"Good-bye, then, Remus," said Dumbledore soberly. Remus shifted the grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Nathaniel moved and clapped Remus on the shoulder, before taking his tank from him. Remus gave Nathaniel a look but there was no arguing with the head Auror. So, with a final nod to Harry, and pet of the head to Skylar, and a swift smile, Remus left the office with Nathaniel.

Skylar frowned and took a breath, how disappointing, and how unfair.

Harry sat down in Remus' vacated chair, staring glumly at the floor. Skylar and Dumbledore turned to him before the headmaster turned to close the door.

"Why so miserable, Harry?" He said quietly. "You should be very proud of yourself after last night."

"It didn't make any difference," said Harry bitterly. "Pettigrew got away."

"Didn't make any difference?" said Dumbledore quietly. "It made all the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate."

Harry seemed to remember something from those words and Skylar looked at him confused.

"Professor Dumbledore — yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very — very strange."

"Indeed?" said Dumbledore. "Er — stranger than usual, you mean?"

"Yes… her voice went all deep and her eyes rolled and she said… she said Voldemort's servant was going to set out to return to him before midnight… She said the servant would help him come back to power." Harry stared up at Dumbledore as Skylar started gapping. "And then she sort of became normal again, and she couldn't remember anything she'd said. Was it — was she making a real prediction?"

Dumbledore looked mildly impressed.

"Do you know, Harry, I think she might have been," he said thoughtfully. "Who'd have thought it? That brings her total of real predictions up to two. I should offer her a pay raise…"

Skylar frowned, two? What else had Trelawney predicted?

"But —" Harry looked at him, aghast. He was surprised as to the calmness of Dumbledore's persona.

"But — I stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew! That makes it my fault if Voldemort comes back!"

"It does not," said Dumbledore quietly. "Hasn't your experience with the Time-Turner taught you anything, Harry? The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed… Professor Trelawney, bless her, is living proof of that… You did a very noble thing, in saving Pettigrew's life."

"But if he helps Voldemort back to power — !"

"Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt… When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them… and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter."

"I don't want a connection with Pettigrew!" said Harry. "He betrayed my parents!"

"This is magic at its deepest, it's most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me… the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life."

Skylar frowned and turned to Harry who looked very uncertain, he didn't think there'd ever be a day.

"I knew your father very well, both at Hogwarts and later, Harry," he said gently. "He would have saved Pettigrew too, I am sure of it. Just as Skylar stopped them to stop her father from doing something horrible, your father would have also."

Harry paused before he spoke again.

"I thought it was my dad who'd conjured my Patronus. I mean, when I saw myself across the lake… I thought I was seeing him."

"An easy mistake to make," said Dumbledore softly. "I expect you'll tire of hearing it, but you do look _extraordinarily _like James. Except for the eyes… you have your mother's eyes."

Harry shook his head.

"It was stupid, thinking it was him," he muttered. "I mean, I knew he was dead."

"You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that _particular _Patronus? Prongs rode again last night."

Skylar looked at Dumbledore surprised. He never new about the five being animagus… Harry also looked at the headmaster confused.

"Last night Sirius told me all about how they became Animagi," said Dumbledore, smiling. "An extraordinary achievement — not least, keeping it quiet from me. And then I remembered the most unusual form your Patronus took, when it charged Mr. Malfoy down at your Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. You know, Harry, in a way, you did see your father last night… You found him inside yourself."

And Dumbledore left the office, Harry turned to Skylar who was gapping, also surprised.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56:

Nobody at Hogwarts knew the truth of what had happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except Skylar, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. As the end of term approached, there were many different theories about what had really happened, but none of them came close to the truth.

Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found a way of smuggling the hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper. Percy Weasley, meanwhile, had much to say on the subject of Sirius's escape.

"If I manage to get into the Ministry, I'll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!" he told the only person who would listen — his girlfriend, Penelope.

Though the weather was perfect, though the atmosphere was so cheerful, not everyone was feeling it. Skylar was sad and pissed for Remus' treatment, especially as he'd been so good and so happy at the school. Harry felt it as well as many of their classmates, the whole of their Defence Against the Dark Arts class was miserable about his resignation.

"Wonder what they'll give us next year?" said Seamus Finnigan gloomily.

"Maybe a vampire," suggested Dean Thomas hopefully.

Harry was miserable for more reasons though, he was sad he would have to return to the Dursleys, after having the prospect of never needing to be there again, but he was also upset over Trelawney's prediction, of which only Skylar and Dumbledore knew about, he was yet to tell Hermione and Ron.

Skylar pulled him off for a walk after breakfast to talk to him about it.

"You can't sit here worrying." She frowned when he confessed to her what was wrong, worrying about Pettigrew returning to You-Know-Who's side. "Unfortunately, we just have to be careful, You-Know-Who could be with Pettigrew by next term, and I doubt that awful existence will have been spending fourteen years doing nothing." She frowned.

Harry turned to her. "You think he'll come after me?"

"Eventually, he did it once."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Skylar frowned. "Maybe your parents pissed him off somehow and you were the way to punish them."

"That doesn't make sense now, they're gone."

"You never know how a pschopath's mind works." Skylar mumbled.

Harry looked at her as she looked over the lake, shining in the sun.

"By the way Sky, I'm sorry." She turned to him confused. "I got really angry when we first saw Sirius, I tried to do some terrible things, and… thank you, for stopping me."

"I know you Harry." She smiled. "And I know you would not have felt good if you'd killed him. It's not something you do lightly, no matter how angry you might be." Harry nodded, avoiding her gaze.

Skylar watched him for a moment before she stepped forwards and suddenly pulled him into a hug. He blinked surprised. "You know we'll rescue you from the Dursleys, don't be so sad."

He chuckled and hugged her back. "I know I can count on you."

"Well, this summer's a big summer, you have to come over."

Harry looked confused as she released him. "What happening?"

"I'm sure Ron and Leon will tell you." She smiled. "But a Quidditch fan like you can't miss it."

Harry's forehead furrowed. "Come on, before Hermione and Ron come running after us, thinking something bad had happened."

The exam results came out on the last day of term. Harry, Ron, Skylar, and Hermione had passed every subject. Harry was amazed that he had got through Potions. He had a shrewd suspicion that Dumbledore might have stepped in to stop Snape failing him on purpose. Snape's behaviour toward Harry over the past week had been quite alarming.

Percy had got his top-grade N.E.W.T.s; Fred and George had scraped a handful of O.W.L.s each, while Nick had wilfully succeeded, though he also didn't seem surprised. Gryffindor House, meanwhile, largely thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House championship for the third year running. This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated. Even Harry managed to forget about the journey back to the Dursleys the next day as he ate, drank, talked, and laughed with the rest.

As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Hermione gave Harry and Ron some surprising news.

"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."

"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" said Ron.

"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again."

"I still can't _believe _you didn't tell us about it," said Ron grumpily. "We're supposed to be your _friends._"

"I promised I wouldn't tell _anyone,_" said Hermione severely.

"Skylar, don't tell me you weren't irritated?" Ron said.

Skylar looked at him like a deer caught in headlights before she cleared her throat and moved for her to find some reason not to answer. Ron watched her suspiciously before he gapped.

"You knew!"

She turned to him with a guilty expression.

"When?" Ron asked

"Um… before Christmas?" She shrugged.

Ron gapped at her with a look of betrayal. "You never said anything!?"

"It wasn't my secret to spill." Skylar shrugged. He glared at her.

Hermione however was looking at Harry, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain. Two whole months before he'd see it again…

"Oh, cheer up, Harry!" said Hermione sadly.

"I'm okay," said Harry quickly. "Just thinking about the holidays."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too," said Ron. "Harry, you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now —"

"A _telephone, _Ron," said Hermione. "Honestly, _you _should take Muggle Studies next year…"

Ron ignored her.

"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work."

"My dad can definitely get us brilliant tickets. And Hermione, you can some stay with me!" Skylar grinned. "Well, as long as none of you decide to go away on holiday again." She said annoyed. Hermione and Ron smirked slightly before the boy nodded.

This proposal had the effect of cheering Harry up a great deal.

"Yeah… I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come… especially after what I did to Aunt Marge…"

"I hope they don't bar your windows again for that…" Skylar mumbled. She then grinned. "Then again, you have an escaped convict for a godfather." She started chuckling.

Feeling considerably more cheerful, Harry joined Skylar, Ron and Hermione in several games of Exploding Snap, and when the witch with the tea cart arrived, he bought himself a very large lunch, though nothing with chocolate in it.

It was late in the afternoon before the thing that made him truly happy turned up…

"Harry," said Hermione suddenly, peering over his shoulder. "What's that thing outside your window?"

Harry turned to look outside. Something very small and grey was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass.

"It looks like a fuzz ball." Skylar's forehead furrowed.

Harry stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air, buffeted this way and that in the train's slipstream. Harry quickly pulled down the window, stretched out his arm, and caught it. It felt like a very fluffy Snitch. He brought it carefully inside. The owl dropped its letter onto Harry's seat and began zooming around their compartment, apparently very pleased with itself for accomplishing its task. Hedwig clicked her beak with a sort of dignified disapproval. Crookshanks sat up in his seat, following the owl with his great yellow eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm's way. Meridiem was very curious by the fluffball, watching it just as intently as Crookshanks for once.

Harry picked up the letter. It was addressed to him. He ripped open the letter, and shouted, "It's from Sirius!"

"What?" said Ron and Hermione excitedly. "Read it aloud!"

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post._

_Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job. _

_I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted. _

_Let Skylar know I popped in to see her mother, as it turned out, Nate had informed her of the situation already. _

_There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt —_

Skylar and Hermione shared a triumphant look. "We were right!" they chorused.

"Ha!" said Hermione to Ron. "See! I _told _you it was from him!"

"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?" said Ron. "Ouch!" The tiny owl, now hooting happily in his hand, had nibbled one of his fingers in what it seemed to think was an affectionate way.

_Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather. _

_I would also like to apologise for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you. _

_I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable. _

_If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me. _

_I'll write again soon. _

_Sirius _

Harry looked eagerly inside the envelope. There was another piece of parchment in there. He read it through quickly and felt suddenly as warm and contented as though he'd swallowed a bottle of hot butterbeer in one gulp.

_I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends. _

"Yes!" Skylar shouted happily.

"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius's letter. "Hang on, there's a P.S…"

_I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat._

Ron's eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly. "Keep him?" he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to Harry's, Skylar's and Hermione's great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.

"What do'you reckon?" Ron asked the cat. "Definitely an owl?"

Crookshanks purred.

"That's good enough for me," said Ron happily. "He's mine." Harry read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King's Cross station. It was still clutched tightly in his hand as he, Skylar, Ron, and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters.

Skylar's mother was there, and she was surprised her father wasn't for a moment, but then, Sirius Black had escaped again under the nose of the Ministry.

"Well I hope you're all proud of yourselves." She said, a stern but amused expression on her face.

"Well, I think we did rather well this year." Skylar shrugged with an innocent grin.

"Oh yeah? How?" Leon had appeared at her side.

"I'll tell you when I get home." Skylar smiled.

"You shouldn't!" Hermione gapped.

"He's a legilimens Hermione, five more minutes in your company and he'll already know." Skylar rolled her eyes.

"You mean about what happened with dad and Remus?" Nick had appeared and Hermione looked surprised before Dominique grabbed her son, proud of the O. he'd received.

"You guys really have no secrets?" Hermione muttered and Skylar shrugged.

Harry spotted Uncle Vernon not far off and he nudged Ron, who also noticed them. Skylar felt the tension change and also turned.

"Send us letters!" Skylar grinned before she gave him a hug. Harry however couldn't go anywhere before Mr. and Mrs. Weasley joined Dominique.

"Sky!" The girl turned to see Stephen hurrying towards her. "I wanted to wish you a good summer before you vanished."

"Lucky you, you caught me."

"I'll write to you?" He posed it as a question.

"Sure." Skylar smiled. "Till next year." He nodded before he kissed her cheek and walked off. Ron and Harry shared a look, Harry looking surprised, while Hermione was grinning girlishly.

"Well, what was that?" Nick asked grinning as Fred and George had joined them and were snickering.

"You sister's irresistible, what do you expect?" Skylar asked with a shrug. Leon looked unsurely after the boy while Nick and the twins started laughing.

"I'll see you all later." Harry said, moving off towards his aunt and Uncle not far off.

"I'll call about the World Cup!" Ron yelled after Harry, the boy wheeled the trolley bearing his trunk and Hedwig's cage toward Uncle Vernon, who greeted him in his usual fashion.

"What's that?" he snarled, staring at the envelope Harry was still clutching in his hand. "If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another —"

"It's not," said Harry cheerfully. "It's a letter from my godfather."

"Godfather?" sputtered Uncle Vernon. "You haven't got a godfather!"

"Yes, I have," said Harry brightly. "He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though… keep up with my news… check if I'm happy…"

And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harry set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.

Skylar, Nick, Leon, Hermione and Ron were laughing at the boy's words as Mrs. Weasley was gushing over Percy and his N.E.W.T scores and hadn't heard the subtle threat.

"You had a good year?"

"Well it was better after learning that a mass murderer was no longer a murderer." Skylar admitted. "But who knows about next year."

"Oh, that'll also be exciting." Dominique smiled, much to the confusion of the Rosenwalds, Weasleys and Hermione. "Shall we then?" And she turned to leave the station.

"Mum! You can't just drop a dime like that!" Nick snapped.

"Yeah what's that supposed to mean!?" Skylar shouted. "See you tomorrow Ron!" And the three legilimens moved off after their mother, pestering her as she smiled.


End file.
